Behind the Light
by Rad
Summary: ::5-28-11:: Semi-abandoned. We'll see if the muse returns... A strange evil is taking over all that is good. Follow a young, different unicorn as she travels the galaxy with her friends looking for a way to save her home. Disclaimer: Hasbro owns MLP.
1. Prologue

Behind the Light  
Prologue

Moonstone looked around the green, lush meadow. It was slowly getting dark, and it was time for his little family to start the trek back to Castle Town. He nuzzled his mate, Flowerdew, who had been taking a nap, then called for his foal.

-

The little family had come to Rain's Meadow, by the Guard Mountains, for an afternoon picnic. While Flowerdew napped, Moonstone had sat and wondered about his foal, who romped in the meadow and played in the stream. He wondered why little Starshower was so different from all the other baby ponies her age.

She had been born a Rainbow unicorn, just like her father. Most of her relatives were Rainbows and unicorns as well, although some of them weren't both. But unlike any of the family of either Flowerdew or Moonstone, she had an all white body. No one in Moonstone or Flowerdew's family had the white body coloring. And uncharacteristically of the pony race, she had no symbol.

The filly had been named in honor of the day she had been born, for a shower of stars had filled the night sky over Castle Town and Azure Castle.

Not even the rulers, King StormCloud and Queen Rose Petal, or any of the palace advisors, knew what to do with Starshower and her not having a symbol. There was no record in any of the palace books of a symbol-less pony. And the mage at the Shrine of Light, deep in the Guard Mountains, hadn't been seen for the past eleven years.

Something else that bothered everyone in the Radiare Lands was the fact that Starshower was devoid of any magic. In fact, she seemed to be _allergic_ to it. Moonstone and Flowerdew had refrained from using it around her ever since the first time she had gotten headaches from it being used around her.

-

It was on the trail back to Castle Town that _they_ came.

It wasn't quite night, and a few stars were already out. There was still enough light to see to walk.

But _they_ were blacker than a starless night, blacker than one's darkest nightmares. They appeared to ride winged creatures. Dragons, from the fire that issued form their mouths. The fire lit up the six inch long fangs of the dragons, and the dragons' riders.

_They_ were pitch black, and their skin was twisted and gnarled. Their shape was humanoid, but not human. Their mouths twisted in harsh grimaces, and their teeth protruded at odd angles. They had two arms, each ending in six sharp, claw-tipped nails. One hand of each figure was plunged to the palm into the dragons' hides.

-

Starshower's eyes snapped open. Her first thought was to glance around the small corner of the brick house she was in, and listen.

She had been dreaming. But she remembered the day of her family's picnic. She remembered that day of happiness. She remembered the day that _they_ came, bringing black darkness in their wake. What she no longer remembered was the rolling, green hills and the beautiful, clear streams.

It had been two and a half years since _they_ had come. The Radiare Lands were no longer good and beautiful.

For _they_ were in control now.


	2. Chapter 1: Memories & Magic

Chapter 1: Memories and Magic

Starshower rose and stretched her legs. She tried to ignore the pangs of hunger in her stomach as she left the burned building she had spent the night in. Today would be another long day of sneaking and running, trying to make it to the forest without being caught.

Her parents had been the only thing in the dream with any color. The Meadow around them had been a fuzzed-gray color. Her parents. Her parents were dead. Starshower bit back a sob.

The dream was the last memory of her parents, the last happy thing in her life. The last bit of good, bright, wonderful color. The last thing that her parents had done was to save her from _them_. They had barred _their _way, letting her go free. It had been the last thing they had done, giving themselves up for her.

She checked that the coast was clear before heading down the cobblestone streets, eyes always searching for any of _them_ and any way of escape, ears alert to pick up any noise.

Starshower had been walking for less than ten minutes when she heard _them_ coming after her. She broke into a dead run, then glanced back. The road led right into the forest, and if she didn't slow down she would make it to safety.

Starshower's hooves clattered along on the cobblestone road. _Their_ feet made loud, harsh, strange noises. Then Starshower's ears picked up another sound. A sound that most certainly had sealed her doom.

Hooves, adult pony hooves. And the sound of magic crackling.

Starshower looked back, and then ran harder. _They_ had taken control of another pony, a unicorn.

_"When you are scared, think of a happy thought,"_ Flowerdew's voice echoed in Starshower's mind.

Starshower closed her eyes. The sound of her own hooves and heavy breathing filled her ears. The memory and the dream of the picnic and her parents filled her mind. The terror that _they_ ensued filled her soul. Her heart was trying to overcome the terror with the memories.

_Loud, pounding hooves on cobblestone streets; heavy breathing. _

_Pretty flowers, cool waters, rolling hills.  
_

_Ugly, evil, controlling creatures; bad unicorn magic. _

_Loud hooves, rolling hills, ugly creatures. _

Starshower blinked, and heard magic crackle around her. Was the unicorn's magic upon her, already?

_Cobblestone, flowers, magic._

Starshower blinked again, wished she were in the Meadow, and then tripped on a brick. She fell, hard, and knew she would be caught.

Magic crackled. A soft 'bam' followed.

But she didn't land on hard, cobblestone brick.


	3. Chapter 2: Meadow & Mage

Chapter 2: Meadow and Mage

Starshower blinked again, wished she were in the Meadow, and then tripped on a brick. She fell, hard, and knew she would be caught.

Magic crackled. A soft 'bam' followed.

But she didn't land on hard, cobblestone brick.

She landed on soft, green grass.

_But how could that be?_

Starshower opened her eyes. A grassy meadow filled with flowers was spread out before her. The sun was shining brightly; it had refrained from doing so in the bleakness of the town. Starshower blinked, and continued to stare.

Slowly Starshower got up. Wondering if this was some sort of dream, or if she was unconscious, she walked a ways. She found a stream and took a drink. The water tasted cool and clean, unlike the rivers and streams that had been polluted in the towns and villages.

Looking around once more, Starshower realized that she was in Rain's Meadow.

Very confused and frightened, Starshower stood very still. She heard the wind rustle through the grass and felt it pick up her mane and tail. She heard the stream rush over the stones. She heard grass move as someone or something walked through it.

She turned around quickly, to see a pony coming towards her.

She stood, frozen to the ground, unable to move. She wasn't sure to flee or remain there.

It was then that she recognized the pony. It could be only one pony, a pony that Starshower had only heard about. It was the Mage of the Shrine of Light.

Starshower had heard many tales of the Mage. The Rainbow unicorn lived in the Shrine and had rarely ever left it. The Rainbow hair and plant symbol contrasted with his dark blue body. As he came closer, Starshower could make out his symbol. She was the first pony to see the Mage this close in over thirteen years.

"Come young one. You have had a rough time. I will take you to a place of safety."

Starshower opened her mouth only to have nothing come out. Closing her mouth and taking a deep breath, she quietly followed the Mage as if in a daze.

He led her out of Rain's Meadow, in the opposite direction of Azure Castle and Castle Town. The Mage led Starshower on for quite some time, through the beginning hills of the Guard Mountains. Starshower could only assume he was taking her to the Shrine.

The sun was already half way through its trek across the sky when they reached the Valley of the Shrine and the Temple. The Mage led her through the Shrine to a back room, where he said she could lay down. Starshower did, but looked up at him. She had so many questions to ask! But before she could utter one word, he had left her.

The Mage returned five minutes later, carrying grass, berries and a jar of water.

"I know you will have many questions to ask, but I also know that you have had a long and terrible journey. Eat and drink, then we will talk."

Starshower took her time with the food and water. She hadn't had a decent meal since the picnic. All the grass and other food in the towns and villages had been trodden on and killed by the invasion.

When she had finished, the Mage began speaking. "First of all, I would like you to call me Wysteria. I am not some wielder of a great power that must be feared and revered. I am a humble pony, with some magic, in his old age. I know you are Starshower, first and only daughter of Moonstone and Flowerdew. You are the first white-bodied pony in Moonstone and Flowerdew's line. You are also the first pony to have no symbol, and the first unicorn or Rainbow to have no powers and to be allergic to magic."

Starshower could only stare, mouth agape, at Wysteria. First of all, he had a strange name. Furthermore, how on Aniel could he know all that stuff about her?

The question must have been written all over her face, because the Mage answered it without Starshower having to ask it. "I can scry, to see places and events far from here through a special glass."

Starshower allowed the information to sink in. "How did I get to Rain's Meadow? I had been running from _them_ in the streets, and then all of a sudden I was in the Meadow."

"Magic," he said simply.

"But I don't have any."

"It is quit simple. The magic within the unicorns and Rainbows has been degrading since Ravenclaw gathered the herds and built Azure Castle, called back then Camilia. The ponies no longer needed the magic to heal or protect, so out of non usage the magic level dropped until all that can be done is cheap magic tricks; short term, flimsy protection spells, and offensive magic that is not very strong. The ponies of this time have not yet realized it because they have not truly needed the magic. And it has cost them their lives.

"You were born seemingly without it because your magic was so strong; it had not yet developed fully and properly. You are allergic to the degraded magic because your magic level is so high above the others."

One small detail tugged at the back of Starshower's mind. "Then how do I have this higher level of magic and my parents don't? And where did the white come from?"

"I must admit I do not know why your parents do not have your high level of magic. But as to the high power level and white body, I can only guess that you are a direct relative of Ravenclaw."

Starshower closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This was all so much for her in her young age. Too much had happened. Too much in one day and too much in two and a half years. Starshower closed her eyes and laid her head down.

"Much has happened, young one. Sleep, sleep in the safety of the Rainbow tonight." The Mage pulled a blanket over Starshower, and then left the room.

Reviews are my friend! ((Cute smile))

Rad


	4. Chapter 3: Bushwillies at Breakfast

Chapter 3: Bushwillies at Breakfast

Starshower slept peacefully and fully, something that had not happened in two and a half years. There were no nightmares of her parents dying, no nightmares of being caught. She didn't even have to wake up suddenly in the night to check if she was safe. The Temple was safe, and Starshower slept soundly.

She awoke a while after she had entered the Shrine, but she did not know how much time had passed. The rays of the sun reached in through the window and tickled her awake. Yawning, Starshower wondered what to do. She was quite hungry, but didn't know where Wysteria had gone.

Starshower got up and left the room she had slept in. The Temple was not huge, but large enough that Starshower didn't want to get lost in it. She wandered the halls for perhaps ten minutes until Wysteria appeared from around the corner.

"The birds told me you were awake, and that you had left the room. Would you like some breakfast?"

"Yes, please."

Wysteria lead her through more halls, with many rooms and stairs and more halls branching off from it. They reached another room, long and rectangular with many windows, that Starshower decided must be some sort of eating room. There was a long table down the middle and several small tables along the wall. There were bowls full of fruit, breads, water and grasses.

"Wysteria," Starshower said, around a mouthful of bread, turning her head to look behind her.

"Hmm?" Wysteria looked at her from his position behind her, by the doorway.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Oh, the rest of that afternoon, that night, a day and a night. A day and a half, by rough estimates."

Starshower nearly spit out her mouthful of bread. _A day and a half? She had slept that long?_

Wysteria saw the shocked look on her face and laughed. Starshower swallowed her food and he started to speak. "I will be leaving the Shrine today. I have some things outside of the Valley that I must attend to. You may sleep more, or you may wander around the Shrine. The Bushwillies will be here to assist you."

"Bushwillies? What are Bushwillies?"

Wysteria blinked. He had forgotten that the little balls of string didn't live  
in Castle Town. A few had lived in Azure, but most stayed hidden in the woods and rarely seen. Just then, one of the aforementioned creatures tumbled down the stairs and into the room.

Starshower blinked and stared at the strange being. It was maybe a foot off of the ground, sky blue, had two arms and hands ending in fingers, two legs and seemed to be covered in long carpet.

"Hello! Curious is glad to meet unipony!"

It took Starshower a moment to realize that 'curious' was the being's name, and that she would be the 'unipony'.

Wysteria bowed his head and nuzzled the creature. "Curious, this is Starshower. She will be staying here in the Shrine for a while. I want you and the others to keep an eye on her and help her if she needs it. Can you and the others do that for me?"

"Yes, yes! Curious watch Starshower! Curious and others help Starshower!"  
Wysteria laughed again. "Their dialect isn't as developed as ours, but they do speak our language and are usually easily understood."

Starshower asked, "And how many of them are running around here?"

"Oh, not running." Wysteria's eyes twinkled with merriment. "They crawl in the ducts that are built into the ceiling and walls that keep the Shrine cool. It's a usual thing to have them fall out and onto the floor. Or onto your back..."

Another Bushwillie dropped from the ceiling onto the table in front of  
Starshower's bowls of food.

"... Or on tables, just like that. You'll get used to it."

Starshower smiled.

The new Bushwillie said, "Hihihi! Speedlikesunipony's whiteness!"

"That's Speed. Guess where she got her name from? She'll make your mind go a mile a minute trying to figure out what she's saying," Wysteria introduced the soft pink ball of yarn. "Speed, this is Starshower. You and the others will be helping her because she will be living with us for a while. Can you tell the others that?"

"Yesyesyes! Speedtellothers!" With that, the Bushwillie ran off the end of the table onto the floor and dashed into a brick. The brick wasn't really a brick; it turned out, because it gave way like paper into a hidden tunnel.

"That's another thing you'll have to get used to, them running in or out of  
walls like that." Wysteria gave another laugh. "Well, I must be going. I trust  
you will be fine here with the Bushwillies?"

Still mystified and curious by the strange creatures and their ways, Starshower kept her eyes on the wall, but said a short "Sure."

Wysteria quietly chuckled to himself and then left the room.


	5. Chapter 4: Baths, Brushes, Braids & Bows

Chapter 4: Baths, Brushes, Braids and Bows

After Starshower finished her breakfast, she wondered what to do. What could one do in an old Temple, full of old and musty writings? Although Starshower had heard the tales about the Shrine, she believed very few of them.

Glancing at Curious, who was rolling and tumbling around the room, she was reminded of what Speed had said about her white coat. Her coat wasn't very _white._

"Curious?"

The ball of string stopped tumbling and came towards her. "Yes?"

"Can I take a bath? I'm rather dirty."

"Bath? Yes yes! Bath fun! Water fun! Curious will call other Bushwillies and run water! Curious be right back!"

The Bushwillie took off into the same fake brick that Speed had left through. He returned two minutes later and said, "Starshower follow Curious!"

With that the blue creature sped out of the room, just slow enough that Starshower could follow. He was surprisingly fast for such a small creature.

Starshower followed the Bushwillie through a few hallways and around a few corners, then into a tiled room. There was a pool set in the middle, filling with water. Several Bushwillies, all every color of the Rainbow imaginable, were already in the room. Some were already in the pool, splashing each other and swimming.

Starshower carefully stepped down the stairs into the warm water. She sighed in complacency, and smelled something wonderful.

"Curious," she said rather lazily, "What is in the water? It smells so good!"

"Smell good? Good! Majek put flower smells in pool! Star like?"

"Oh, yes. Thank you!"

Starshower just stood in the pool for several minutes, basking in the water. She jumped when a soft pink Bushwillie started scrubbing her flank with a brush.

"Hey! That tickles!"

"Klenly is sorry, Star, but Star is dirty," the bright pink Bushwillie said, "Ok if Klenly rubs dirt away?"

"Yeah, that's ok."

Three or four more Bushwillies, all carrying brushes, floated or swam towards Starshower and started scrubbing. Starshower closed her eyes and fell into contentment. It all felt so good, the warm water, the scented soaps and the scrubbing. Starshower had to wonder if she'd ever enjoyed a bath so much.

Several minutes went by, with Starshower enjoying her bath and the Bushwillies scrubbing her coat with the brushes.

"Star? Bushwillies can't reach legs while Star is in water. Will Star please come out of tub so Bushwillies can clean Star's legs?" Klenly said.

Slowly, Starshower opened her eyes. She really didn't want to move, but she knew that she couldn't stand in the pool forever. She nodded, and then made her way towards the stairs. The water was starting to get a little chilly anyway. The Bushwillies followed her.

After shaking herself free of some of the water, the Bushwillies started scrubbing her legs. They took buckets of water and soap and little stools over to her and continued cleaning her.

After they were done scrubbing her legs, the Bushwillies asked Starshower to go back in the water and wash away all the soap and dirt. She complied, then climbed back out and shook herself until she was nearly dry.

The Bushwillies brought the stools back to her and started drying her off with towels. Starshower stood very still during this process, enjoying the feeling of so many little towels against her coat. When they were done, the Bushwillies started braiding Starshower's rainbow hair and tying them off with ribbons and bows to match.

"Thank you Bushwillies, thank you very much!" Starshower exclaimed.

Almost in one voice, the Bushwillies said, "Star is welcome!" With that they started cleaning up the bathing room. Starshower decided she would be in the way, so she went out into the hall. Curious followed her.

"Now what, Curious? What is there for me to do?"

Curious appeared to think very hard. "Starshower can help in kitchens! Wysteria has herbs and stuffs that need mixing and cleaning. That all right with Starshower?"

"Yes. I'd like to help, and not just sit around being a bump on a log."

Starshower followed Curious to the kitchens where more Bushwillies were working. She helped clean and sort herbs and grasses, and jarred many different foods. She worked all day, taking a break for lunch and supper. At the end of the day, Curious showed her to a room she could use while staying in the Temple. Starshower went to sleep tired but very satisfied.


	6. Chapter 5: The Rainbow & Rainbowberries

Chapter 5: The Rainbow and Rainbowberries

Starshower spent her first five days in the Temple helping the Bushwillies and exploring. She had cleaned a few rooms, helped out in the kitchens, gathered blueberries with the Bushwillies and swam in the lake. Star had explored the top level of the Temple, with Curious' permission. The little ball of string had even gone with her a few times. Well, she had explored most of it. The Bushwillies had said that some of it was just storage rooms and not worth looking into. The top level consisted mostly of a few rooms - much like the one Star slept in - that appeared to be a corridor of guest rooms, the dining hall, the kitchens and, in fact, and many storage rooms. All of these very boring in Starshower's opinion.

On her fifth day Starshower ventured down to the second floor but she had spoken to Curious before leaving.

"Curious, are there any rooms in the Temple that I shouldn't go into?" she had asked.

"If the room doesn't want Star in it, it won't let Star in it," the sky-blue Bushwillie had replied.

Starshower had pondered over this. The tales said that the Temple held a great deal of magic, some long forgotten, but few believed it. Starshower wondered about what Curious had said.

She mentally shrugged and proceeded down to the second level in hopes of discovering something a little more enticing than the other dull rooms.

What she found both bored and mystified her. Some of the rooms were merely shelves filled with old scrolls written in an ancient language that Starshower could not read, but other rooms held strange statues and figures made of: jade and silver, wood, one of marble and a few were even made of gold. Most were figurines designed like ponies but some were dragons and elves and Bushwillies and a small few appeared to be human. The marble one captured her interest for a few moments, as it was the only figure made out of marble. It was of a unicorn mare whose symbol was a piece of bread or toast. Starshower would have to ask the Bushwillies if they knew anything about this one.

But what really ensnared Starshower's interest were the hieroglyphics.

Walls upon walls of them! These mysterious symbols were ancient, many being old epic tales of Aniel's history. Starshower spotted Ravenclaw and the gathering of the herds upon the walls of one room. Some she could not identify but others she had heard the tales of before.

There was Sunny Days and her small herd, who had come from the Outer Territories into what would become the Radiare Lands. They were considered to be the first ponies to enter the Radiare Lands, the discoverers of it.

There was Starpool, the only known pony with a blonde-yellow mane and tail, who had led her herd through a glral attack. Starpool and her herd were thought to live in Haranna, an Outer Territory.

And there was also Moondancer, Starpool's third daughter, who had climbed Mt. Caraya, and saw for miles around her.

And Athalas, the healer, who was known all over Aniel for her herbal remedies and knowledge of the healing arts and plants.

But not all the hieroglyphics and legendary or historical figures were mares. There were a few stallions that stood out as well, though not as many.

Prancer, the earther who had tricked a fosilis into running off a cliff was quite well known.

And Wolf, another earther who helped his herd through one of the worst winters Meliheco - another Outer Territory - had ever seen, by using his incredible sense of smell.

Starshower spent an entire week wandering through rooms and hallways, scanning the walls and reading of the stories of the ponies of long ago.

Upon reaching the end of the second floor and a small, dull stairway that apparently led down to a third floor, Star had felt a strange premonition that it led to something and yet nothing at the same time. She had gone back to the top floor and refused to go exploring again for five days.

But the dreams started the day she found that staircase.

They would always begin in darkness. Starshower would be standing on seemingly nothing: a void of blackness. The darkness would press on Star, seeming to tug at her dream self, making her shiver with cold as well as fright. Her vision was smeared and broken, as if looking through a pond to its bottom.

Then the darkness around her would dissolve into a brown patch of soil. A single seed would sprout and rapidly grow into a green forest that covered everything in Star's vision for miles around.

The forest would be overtaken by an angry, raging blue sea, rushing from nowhere and spreading out. Star would be left standing on nothing again, surrounded by water.

She would look around, trying to find land and make sense of standing on nothing when bright orange fireballs would come hurling down from the sky, blinding Star. So many fell that the water would evaporate and steam would fill her vision.

Then amethyst storm clouds would roil over Star's head and the temperature would plummet to a deathly cold level. The cloud would let fall purple snowflakes, and the water vapor would freeze and Starshower would see crystals forming around her, woven in a stunning pattern of chaos.

A forest vine tinted with sapphire would erupt from the crystal, and the crystallis would shatter and break apart to reveal the dark blue color of many athalas plants, the herb of healing.

The last thing that would happen in the dream was a curtain of red. It would fall over her eyes like liquid sliding over glass, blotting out the beautiful athalas plants. It would chill Starshower to her very soul, as if a cold stone hand gripped her heart forever without rest. Her blood would freeze in her veins, and her heart would beat loudly in her ears.

Then it would stop.

Starshower would wake up in a cold sweat, her bed soaked and her heart beating rapidly.

Starshower had not told the Bushwillies about her dreams. With their carefree ways and no knowledge of the ponies' magic, Starshower was sure they would not understand. She hoped Wysteria would return soon, but when she asked the Bushwillies, they would reply with "When Wysteria is ready, Wysteria will return."

The dreams continued, unchanging and relentless, for four days, until the Bushwillies brought strange fruits to the Temple.

A group of Forest Bushwillies, as Curious had called them, trooped into the dining hall during breakfast, quite unannounced. They were all shades of green and dark blue-purple, and Starshower spotted a few brown ones as well. They were pulling small carts, apparently made out of leaves and twigs, loaded to the brim with what looked like raspberries.

But they weren't red. Well, they were red, but not all red. They were nearly every color of the rainbow, in no particular order, and made the fruit look very strange. They also reminded Star of her strange dreams, because both the fruits and her dreams were lacking the color yellow.

Star had figured that much out, that the dream was representing colors somehow, or trying to. The thing that truly confused Starshower was that there were two blue parts in her dream and no yellow part.

"Star?" Curious' inquiry broke through the pony's thoughts.

"Huh? Oh. Yes?"

Curious pointed to an important-looking dark green Bushwillie who seemed to be giving orders as to what to do with the strange berries. "That is Forestis, leader of the Forest Bushwillies. Does Star see that pack on her back?"

Star tried to hide surprise. It wasn't that she couldn't see the small bark-colored pack, it was that Forestis appeared to be a boy. But then again, it was not easy to determine if Bushwillies were girls or boys. But with the shaggy, slightly gruff exterior, Forestis appeared less than girlish. But Starshower shrugged it off and said yes, she did see the pack.

Curious gave a giggle. "That is Treo, Forestis' little baby girl."

Starshower felt curiosity wash over her and she squinted to get a better view of the small pack, which moved. Then a tiny head poked out. It looked just like Curious' head, but it was a jade color and tinier than Starshower's little hooves. Starshower laughed. "Oh, she's so cute!"

The Temple Bushwillies had come from all directions and were helping to unload the rainbow-colored berries. They had brought baskets and bowls and were carting the fruits off to the kitchens and storerooms.

"Curious, what kind of berries are those? They look like raspberries, but are they?

"No, no, silly Star! They are Rainbowberries."

_'Rainbowberries?'_ "Uh, Curious, what are Rainbowberries?"

But Curious had gone into the kitchen and had left Starshower to wonder about the strangely colored fruits.

Later that evening, Star was in her room when Majek and Curious knocked on her door and came in, both dragging closed baskets of woven reeds.

"Star, you do not know what Rainbowberries are?" Majek asked of her.

"No Majek, I've never heard of them before. Why, they're ordinary fruit, aren't they?" _'Besides the fact they're nearly every color of the rainbow?'_

Majek shook his head. Curious spoke, "Wysteria says that many, many years ago, Athalas found out that Rainbowberries were good for the ponies with the Rainbow in their hair and for the ponies with the horns coming out of their heads. Rainbowberries were good for all ponies, but even better for Rainbow-haired and horned ponies."  
"You mean, they help with the magic of the ponies?" Star asked, shocked. She'd never heard anything like that before.

"Yes, 'specially the Fireberries," Majek piped up.

"Fireberries?" This was getting curiouser and curiouser.

Curious nodded and Majek continued, "The red and orange and yellow berries. Forestis brought some Fireberries as well." He uncovered one of the baskets and from her position Starshower could see red, orange and... _yellow._

"What do the Rainbowberries and the Fireberries do? How are they good for Rainbows and unicorns?" Starshower asked.

Majek again answered. "Rainbowberries help keep ponies' magic healthy. Fireberries help the Rainbow-haired ponies talk with the Rainbow, Wysteria has said so," with this, Majek left some Fireberries on Starshower's bedside table and left Star's room.

Star was very confused. She, like all ponies, knew what the rainbow was. A thing of light, made up of the six colors of the spectrum; red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. Supposedly it was a thing of power. But it was just a legend, wasn't it? And certainly it didn't try to talk to ponies! How absurd!

"Star, tonight is a full moon and on a clear night."

"Oh, will we watch it?" Star wasn't sure why Curious was telling her this, or why he had switched topics so quickly, but full moons on clear nights were hard to come by.

"Star may watch it if Star wants to, but Wysteria says that Star must stand in pond when the moon shines on pond."

Starshower gave him a blank look. "Why?"

"Water touched by moon's rays is good for pony magic." Curious said, shrugging.

"Why is that? How can water in the moonlight be good for me?"

Curious shrugged. "Wysteria says so." Curious told her not to miss it and waddled out, but not before giving Star some Rainbowberries from his basket.

Deciding that "Fireberries" sounded like something that would burn her mouth, Starshower popped a mouthful of Rainbowberries in first.

A burst of flavor exploded into her mouth. A taste of many different fruits, separate yet combined, each vying to stand out from the others. Star tasted cherries, strawberries, a hint of oranges, a pinch of kiwi, blueberries and plata, a dark blue fruit that has a mild zing to it and is shaped like an elongated apple.

Star popped the rest of the Rainbowberries into her mouth. A tingling feeling began in her horn and traveled through her body. It didn't hurt, but it was very strange.

Having finished the Rainbowberries, Starshower eyed the Fireberries. She cautiously put one in her mouth, closed her eyes and bit down.

It felt like a star had gone nova and exploded, all inside her mouth. The taste electrified Starshower, startling her. The tangy taste of lemons, somehow evened out by the sweet taste of oranges, and underneath it all the pleasing taste of strawberries.

Starshower swallowed. Whatever taste she had expected, it hadn't been that.

Then something strange happened to Star. Her senses became sharper, her eyesight clearer, and she could feel the breeze outside her window. She could feel the trees blowing in the wind. She could hear distinctly the birds chirping in the trees, their different songs mingling into one melody.

_And they spoke to her._

The birds said that the weather was good and the worms were plentiful. The breeze blew away the clouds so that the night would be clear. The trees said that life was good and there was plenty of water.

But it only lasted for a few seconds. Starshower opened her eyes, unaware that she had had them clenched shut. Wondering if it would happen again, she ate the rest of the Fireberries.

It was all the same, but the effect lasted longer this time.

Astounded, Starshower shook her head and told herself she had dreamed it all. 

---

Starshower must have fallen asleep, for when she awoke the moon had come out and its beams swept over her. Glancing at the moon, she remembered what Curious had told her. He wanted her to stand in the pond while the moon's rays were on her and the water. 

_'How silly, but I will do it anyway.'_

Starshower got up and went to find Curious, who was in the dining hall, waiting for her.

"Is Star ready to go to the pond?"

"Yes. Let's go Curious."

Curious led Starshower out one of the doors of the kitchen and down a path that led into the woods. The path was less traveled but Curious seemed to know the way. They came to a clearing in which the lake stood in the middle of the trees. 

The pond was very serene, not a ripple played across its glassy surface. Star could see to the bottom, it was so shallow. Smooth sand and polished rocks decorated the bottom.

And then the moon came out from behind a cloud, bathing the scene with its soft, luminous light. The moonshine made it shimmer and look like a dream. Starshower sighed in contentment. The place was so calm.

"Star, please stand in the pond, in the moon's light."

As Starshower moved, she asked Curious, "For how long? How long do I have to stand in the pond?" _'And play along with this ridiculous rainbow stuff?'_

"Until the Rainbow is done."

_'"Until the rainbow is done"? What is that supposed to mean?'_

Wondering why she was even going along with this nonsense, and at this time of the night, Starshower stood in the middle of the pond, closed her eyes and lifted her head to the moon. Its rays gently played over her face, cooling it and driving away her reluctance of participating in this strange ritual. 

A cloud shifted so only a single ray played upon Star's face, on her horn. It appeared to solidify, to give it a name.

_- A child of the Rainbow, touched by the Seven Colors itself, has been returned to the Old Sendas of Ages Past. - _

Starshower gasped. Her eyes burst open, her head jerked around, severing the connection, to find the origin of the voice: the voice that resounded in her head. Her ears had not heard it, her mind had. She had not noticed the solidifying moonbeam. She would not have believed it if she had.

Looking around, Starshower saw no-one but Curious. _'Could it have been him? No, surely not.'_ Starshower banished that thought from her mind. _'It couldn't have been him. Impossible.'_

As they quietly walked back to the temple, Curious did not ask Star about what had happened in the pond. They both said nothing until they came to the shrine. Curious told Star she should turn in. Starshower asked for a drink of water, to which Curious agreed. Star went to the dining hall to wait.

Just as Curious was walking into the dining hall, it started to storm outside. Starshower shivered. She could hear it, the thunder, loud and frightening. She could also see the randomly patterned lightning flashing in the windows of the doubled front doors to the shrine, through the hallway separating the dining hall from the doors to the dangerous outside. The rain pounded against the temple, threatening to tear it down.

Then something happened that made Starshower's heart stop and her blood run cold in her veins.

_...A loud, ominous __**boom**__ of thunder..._

...And ear-splitting _**CRACK!!!**__ as something solid, too solid, broke through the doubled front doors..._

...And; illuminated by a bright flash of light; a dark, sinister shape flew through the doors, into the hallway and catapulted down the stairs...

...Starshower screamed, Curious hollered a warning...

All in ten seconds, life had taken a turn for the worst, the very worst imaginable.

They _**had come at last.**_


	7. Chapter 6: The Survivors & The Statue

Chapter 6: The Survivors and the Statue

All in ten seconds, life was taking a turn for the worst, the very worst imaginable.

They _**had come at last.**_

Starshower screamed again. Lightning flashed, thunder roared, rain pounded against the temple.

_Darkness... It's so dark... too dark..._ The lanterns had been blown out by the wind.

_Light... _

_'We need light...'_ thought Starshower. _"Light!!"_ tore from her throat with surprising strength.

And suddenly the room was ablaze with light!

Starshower blinked, momentarily blinded. Curious gasped and she wondered where the light was coming from.

Then Starshower realized that the dark creature wasn't attacking her. In fact, it was lying on the floor, moaning. Now that she was focusing all her attention on it, she realized it was moaning in pain and its dark blue fur was covered in blood. There were briars and thorns caught in the fur, and in the matted, dirty rainbow hair... _Rainbow_ hair??

"Wysteria!!" Starshower and Curious cried together.

For indeed; dirty, battered and bloody, it was the Mage of the Temple lying upon the floor.

Starshower and Curious rushed to his side, full of alarm. His eyes were closed, his legs tucked underneath him. He was breathing heavily, his sides falling slowly and rising even slower.

"Wysteria, what happened?"

The battered pony slowly opened his eyes, but said nothing. His eyes were pained, telling Starshower of terrible sorrows. They slowly drifted shut, the azul pools disappearing behind dark blue skin.

Several Bushwillies had gathered in the dining hall by this time. Majek stepped out from among them and came over to Wysteria.

"Wounds are bad and deep. Wysteria needs help." Motioning to the other Bushwillies, he said, "Bring blankets and water; much water."

The group dispersed to do as Majek had asked, running in many directions at once. Klenly was shouting something about different herbs as she disappeared out into the hall.

Majek was looking closely at Wysteria's wounds, walking around the pony and shaking his head.

"Majek, what happened to him? Who would do such a thing?" Starshower asked, beginning to cry.

Majek only shook his head.

The other Bushwillies returned with several blankets and bowls of water. Klenly was leading a handful of Bushwillies carrying different plants, she herself bringing in the athalas plant.

Majek and Klenly set to work directing the other Bushwillies to place the blankets around Wysteria and carefully cleaning and dressing his wounds as much as possible.

With all the hustle and bustle of the Bushwillies, Starshower felt quite useless, standing in the corner crying, not knowing what else to do but stay out of the way.

The bright light had dimmed, and some Bushwillies were re-lighting the lanterns. Starshower slowly fell asleep standing in her corner.

And she dreamt the dream. But it had changed slightly.

Instead of having her heart stop beating after the curtain of red, a burning gold trail of sand wound its way to Starshower through the red mass. It would gently cover her eyes, and when she felt it slowly leave her, she could see a wide desert of the same burning gold sand. A yellow sun beat gently down upon a scene of Wysteria and herself running joyfully across the comfortably warm sand.

Starshower did not wake up sweating that night, nor did she have anymore dreams. She slept calmly and fully until morning. When she awoke, there lay Wysteria, looking much better with morning's light upon him.

It took three weeks for Wysteria to become completely well. And even after all of this time he was still recovering his strength. Starshower dreamt of the seven colors each night, and each night she did not wake up frightened.

While Wysteria was recuperating, he and Star would slowly walk to the gardens behind the Temple. One day Starshower asked him about the room full of statues, and the one made of marble.

"Ah, that would be Marbletoast," some of his old glint would come back to his eyes.

"What a strange name!"

He laughed. "Yes, a strange name. But none the less, she became a widely known pony. She was a writer, and wrote some of the most amazing books in all of Aniel."

"Why is her statue made of marble?"

"She was the first pony to have a marble-looking coat. She still had hair like all ponies, but it looked like she was made of marble. Her parents named her Marbletoast for her looks and her symbol. Hm... I do believe I actually have some of her original documents in a vault somewhere... Did you by chance find the library?" Starshower had told him of her exploring.

"No, I didn't."

"Ah, I didn't think you would. Its very well hidden entrance is in one of the rooms filled with scrolls. It probably looked very boring to a young one. When I am healed I will show it to you and we can read some of Marbletoast's books. I haven't read them in such a long time."

Somehow, Starshower wanted to wait until Wysteria was fully healed before she told him about her dreams. She did not understand why she felt this way, but she followed her instincts. She did, however, learn what had happened to him during one of their walks in the gardens.

She approached him slowly and quietly about it.

"I have been going out and searching for survivors, since a few weeks after the invasion, about once a month. But I had never been attacked before. Come to think about it, there were some close calls the last several times."

"Did you find any?"

"No, not until this time. I found some in the Haranna territory. They should be arriving tomorrow."

"But Wysteria, isn't that territory several weeks from the Radiare Lands? How could you have gone there and back in less than two weeks?"

"Ah, the Winking Stones of course. Though I suppose you don't know what they are and have never heard of them, I keep forgetting." Setting himself down in the grass under the shade of a great maple, Wysteria started on about Winking Stones. "There have been many debates concerning the origin of the stones, but I believe that they were given to Ravenclaw's grandson, ArcoIris Nube's son, Primavera Fievre, the second ruler of the Radiare Lands, from the Thesolinika territory. They amplify the Winking power of the unicorns. They come in sets, one located where you are and one where you end up."

"But how? How can some stones help you Wink half way around the world?"

"They have a magic gem in their center. This gem magnifies the Winking magic."

"And you used these stones to travel all over Aniel, finding survivors?"

"I was looking for survivors, but yes. And the few that I found will be joining us here tomorrow."

Starshower became ecstatic at the prospect of having more ponies come to the Temple. She hoped there were young ones, same as her, so she would have a friend to play with.

The next day Starshower couldn't wait for the new arrivals. She hardly had any breakfast and had an even harder time sitting still through lunch. She played with her food, pushing it around with her nose.

A soft yellow Bushwillie burst in through the open double doors shouting, "Here! Here! They're here!" A few Bushwillies had been dispatched as look-outs and many more had gone to clean and prepare the other guest rooms in the Temple.

Starshower shot up from the table, nearly upsetting a bowl of fruit. She dashed out the doors and hurried outside.

Wysteria was outside and talking to a pegasus with big, feathery wings. She had a light sky-blue coat; her mane and tail were orange, red and yellow, with fire spirals along her body. She was much older than Star.

Wysteria called her over and introduced the peg as Blazer, from the windy country of Resuello.

Star greeted the magnificent creature, but her spirits had been dampened. Would any young ponies be coming? Would someone come her age and be her friend?

Starshower rested under the shade of a tree and wondered if she would have a playmate.

After snoozing for a small while, Star woke up. The sun had moved across the sky. Then something moved in front of the sun, blotting it out and casting a shadow upon the ground.

Starshower stood up to get a better view. Ponies!! Two of them! Although at this time they were too far way to be sure, Star thought that the pegs appeared to be her size and age. She jumped up, shouting for Wysteria.

As the two ponies landed, Starshower saw that they had been carrying younger ponies on their backs.

The first one to land was carrying two younger ponies. She was female by her voice. She was also several inches taller than Star, maybe six or seven years older. She was a purplish blue pegasus with a blue and white mane and tail. A single penguin wearing a red bow tie graced each flank. Star wondered if her name was Arctic or something chilly.

The two little ponies that hopped off Arctic's back were different ages. One was a baby and the other about Star's own age! The baby was a few shades darker than Arctic and had a green mane and tail. He was an earther, and had the same penguin on his flanks, but his wore a blue bow tie. The other pony, the one about Star's age, was an earther as well. She was pink with a pink and white mane and tail. Her symbol was a fairy on each hip.

The second large peg was only slightly bigger than Arctic, and therefore probably slightly older. By the voice, she too was female. She was a light copper color with a silver mane and tail. She had slightly darker copper spots all over her body. She too carried a younger pony on her back.

This pony too was a peg, but something must have been wrong with its wings. Star couldn't tell symbol or gender, this one hid behind the amber-colored one. It was a purple-pink color with purple mane and tail, the symbol on each flank was of a burnt red-orange flower. Starshower guessed it too was around her own age.

Wysteria came over with the first peg, Blazer, behind him. He discussed some things with the older two pegs then introduced them all. The first one, Arctic, turned out to be named Buttercup. Star fleetingly wondered about the name. The two younger ponies with her were Moonlightfairy and Little Flibble, Buttercup's siblings. Starshower wondered what a "flibble" was. The second peg, the amber one, was Amber. The last peg Wysteria introduced as Ember, Amber's sister. Everyone was introduced to each other.

Some Bushwillies came out and led the ponies inside the Temple. Starshower started in after them but Wysteria called her back.

"Starshower, I need to speak with you."

Star glanced at the retreating forms of the ponies but turned to Wysteria. "Yes?"

"I know that you've been by yourself for a while and that you want friends of your age and kind, but you need to give the new arrivals some space and time."

Starshower sighed heavily. "Ok."

"And one other thing, the Flibbles; Buttercup, Moonlightfairy and Little Flibble, well..." Wysteria's voice trailed off as he searched for the right words. "They're a bit crazy."

"Huh?" _Were they dangerous?_

"They're still good ponies and there's nothing _wrong _with them... maybe a better word is 'eccentric.' Especially Moonlightfairy, she can be very hyper." He gave her a small smile, "I think you will all be good friends later on."

Starshower nodded. Today turned out good, after all.

------------

- For those of you that know the G3 line, ArcoIris Nube is Rainbow Dash and Primavera Fievre is Spring Fever.  
- "ArcoIris Nube" is actually "arco iris nube," "arco iris" meaning rainbow and "nube" meaning cloud, both Spanish words.  
- "Primavera" is spring, "fievre" can also be "fiebre," depending on which Spanish you speak, meaning fever. Both are Spanish, also.

All new ponies mentioned are owned to their respective owners: Marbletoast, Blazer, Amber (my beta), Ember, Buttercup, Moonlightfairy, and Little Flibble. The last is based on Hasbro's Baby Waddles.

Rad


	8. Chapter 7: Secret Room, Secret Library

To any lurking reviewers... if there are any... comments and constructive criticism are gladly welcomed!

Chapter 7: Secret Room, Secret Library

Starshower had dozed off in the woods near the Temple, and in her dream she was standing on the second floor, looking down the stair well to the third floor.

_It was calling to her._

In her dream, she stood rooted to the spot. _It was calling to her_, pulling her down, but something was holding her back. What was down there? Who, or what, wanted her down there? Why was she being held back?

Star slowly woke from her nap and stared at a red apple hanging on the tree she was sleeping under. What was on the third floor? She decided it was about time she told Wysteria about her dreams and to ask him what was beyond that stair well.

Getting up, Starshower made her way into the Temple. Entering through the kitchens, she asked the Bushwillies there if they knew where Wysteria was. They told her he was in the library. Starshower remembered the Mage telling her the library was a hidden room on the second floor. But he hadn't told her exactly where. Still, the second floor was the best place to start.

Deciding that it must not be in the rooms she had explored, Starshower searched for the library in the few rooms that she hadn't looked in all of those weeks ago. There were only five, and the first two were shelves of scrolls in an old script on crumbling paper. But the third...

When Starshower tried to walk through the door way of the third room but something fizzled and Starshower's nostrils were overwhelmed with the scent of smoke and fire. A barrier seemed to go up between her and what looked like another room of scrolls. Starshower tried to step forward, to get away from the smell, but suddenly she was in the hall a few steps from the door way she had just been trying to get through.

Suddenly Starshower remembered Curious' words about the Temple and her exploring it. _'If the room does not want Star in it, it won't let Star in it.'_ Even though the room looked like it was full of harmless scrolls, exactly like the previous two rooms before it, Starshower decided the library wasn't hiding in this room. She continued down the hall.

Just as she was poking her head in the fifth and final room, Starshower heard laughter. It sounded like one of the survivors that had come two days ago, Buttercup, and Wysteria.

"Wysteria?" Starshower called. She heard his voice but all she saw was yet another room full of old and musty scrolls.

"In the library, Starshower," he answered.

"Yes, but -"

At that moment Buttercup gave a shout and Moonlightfairy came tearing out from behind a shelf of books, seemingly right though the wall. Star leapt out of the way as Moonlightfairy tore past, Buttercup on her heels.

Starshower blinked, momentarily stunned. Had they materialized through the wall?

Wysteria poked his head "through the wall." From Starshower's angle, the wall and the shelf appeared to be next to each other, when in reality the shelf was far enough away for a door. When she was exploring, Starshower had simply poked her head in, saw the room was full of scrolls and moved on.

"I think Moonie tried to take a bite out of Buttercup's cake," he grinned. Starshower stepped forward and into the hidden door way. "Here is the library, Starshower. Welcome!"

The library had a high ceiling, although it seemed impossible because the first floor was on top of it. The walls were filled with shelves of books. Books whose covers were any and every color and shape imaginable. There were tiny walkways and rails a few shelves up. Bushwillie-sized, Starshower realized with a grin. There were some comfy-looking chairs and couches, each with a lighted lamp on a table or mounted on a bookshelf.

Amber was in a chair, a book placed face down on the table in front of her to keep her place, as she was talking with Wysteria. Ember was on one couch with Little Flibble; no doubt Moonie had been there moments before.

Starshower slowly made her way to the Mage and the amber pegasus, looking at the bulky and petite volumes of books, shuffling her feet as she went.

"Wysteria, I need to talk to you," Starshower said. "A-alone, please," she said quietly.

Wysteria nodded. He beckoned Starshower out into the hall. Buttercup and Moonie were nowhere to be seen, but screams could be faintly heard from the floor above. "Yes?" he asked.

Star glanced at their hooves, unsure of where to start. She glanced down the hall. "What's in that room there, seventh door on the left? I-I tried to go into the room; I was looking for the library, but... but... I couldn't. The door, it-,"

"You couldn't go into it, Starshower, because that room is not for a young pony like you to see. Before Princess Rad's time, there was war, bloody and terrible. That room depicts that time. You wouldn't want to see it, not at your age. The Temple would not allow you in," Wysteria explained.

Starshower was very startled by that thought; maybe even scared.

"It's alright," Wysteria assured her. "The Temple knew."

Starshower blinked and swallowed, digesting that information, but she knew. It was time. "Wysteria, what is on the third floor?"


	9. Chapter 8: The 3rd Floor & The 3rd Magic

Chapter 8: The Third Floor and a Third Magic

"What's on the third floor?" Wysteria repeated. "Starshower, why do you ask?

"I found a stairwell leading to it, and I've been having dreams ever since." Starshower proceeded to tell Wysteria about her dreams, the Rainbowberries and Fireberries and the pond incident.

Wysteria blinked. "Oh my. The Rainbow is trying to tell you something."

"Majek said something like that. Is it true? There really is such a thing?"

"Yes. You know what a rainbow is; you've seen them in the sky." Star nodded and Wysteria continued, "Legend has it that the Rainbow created our universe and placed the first creatures on Aniel. Some time later - no one knows how much time passed - a great evil came to Aniel. This evil at first worked through the carnivores of the past - the ancestors of the fosilis and the tigers - as well as a predator our age has never seen: the tirranasour. This beast is much like the humans' now-extinct tyrannosaurs rex. This beast was about three stories tall and had a mouth full of four foot long teeth, very sharp teeth." Wysteria trembled. "The tirranasour was a menace and even worse with the great evil." He shook his head. "But the Rainbow felt the evil coming and seven special ponies were born after a storm."

"After a storm? Why would that matter?" Star asked.

"They were born underneath the Rainbow. They were much like you and me-"

"Rainbow ponies? With the four colors - pink, blue, green and yellow - in our manes and tails?" Starshower cut in.

"Yes, well close. They had the seven colors -" Wysteria started to explain.

"But aren't there only six?" Starshower broke in again, confused.

"No, there are seven colors in the spectrum. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet-purple. Over time, indigo has been forgotten and red has faded as its power disappeared," Wysteria explained.

"So that's why blue was presented twice!" Starshower exclaimed, finally understanding. "One was indigo."

Wysteria nodded and continued. "These Seven Rainbow ponies each themselves represented the seven colors. They developed powers that far outshine the degraded magic of our day, each power pertaining to the pony's color and symbol. But the ponies and their story have long been forgotten, because our race is forgetting the Rainbow. Few believe it exists or that it once existed. And the third floor's entrance has been gone a long time. It has only reappeared for you, for as the Room of War knew you should not enter, the Room of the Seven knew you must see and know our far past."

"So... the third floor is another room full of historical hieroglyphics?"

"No, not just hieroglyphics. The Room of the Seven also houses the Seven Partas. The Seven Partas were seven stones, all chiseled by the Elves thousands of years ago. The Seven Colors of the Rainbow were each infused into the seven Stones. One stone each was given to the Seven. When these stones were brought together, the Spirit of the Rainbow is born. It was a shadow of the real Rainbow, but still held much of its awesome power," Wysteria continued the history lecture.

Star gasped. This Room had opened itself to her? When it held all these things? All this power?

"The Rainbow has chosen you, Starshower. And I think its time you learned magic."

The next day Wysteria and Starshower were in a large spare room on the first floor. Wysteria was teaching Starshower magic.

_"Quiero mover,"_ Wysteria said slowly.

Starshower repeated the words. "What does it mean?"

"It means _'I wish to move'_ meaning the speaker wishes to Wink and teleport to somewhere else. It is the bit of magic that you did the day we met and I brought you to the Temple."

"But how could I do it without saying the incantation? I've never heard those words before, let alone said them," Starshower asked.

"Your high energy level. You knew you were in danger and you knew you did not want to be there. Can you remember your exact thoughts and words while you were being chased, before you Winked?"

Starshower became too wrapped up in her memories to answer, so she just nodded. She remembered her mother's voice, her advice resounding in Star's mind, _'When you are scared, think of a happy thought.'_ A single tear slipped from her eye and fell to the floor.

"Starshower?" Wysteria asked consolingly. He had seen the tear and gave her a moment. "What were your thoughts? What did you say?"

"I... I didn't say anything. I heard - I heard my mother's voice and I remembered a picnic we had in the he meadow - before. I - I wished I was in the meadow. And then I was just _there._"

"One does not _have_ to have an incantation, Starshower, that is only the 'proper' way to successfully complete magic. And your high magic level helped too. You did not want to be there and it helped you to leave," Wysteria explained again.

"So why are you teaching me the proper way to do magic?"

"You are a unicorn and therefore have magic in your blood; it is a part of you. It has helped you when you merely thought of it happening twice, but we must not rely on it helping you by accidental thoughts. I want you to know how to command it at will, not just in times of peril. You must know how to control it, not just think about it and getting lucky," Wysteria clarified.

"Twice? I've used magic twice?"

"Yes, twice," Wysteria assured her. "Your Winking from the town to Rain's Meadow and when I came back from my journey, in the main room. You created the light that lit up the room like the sun. The incantation is widely known, but it has never been as bright as yours was that night."

"The light that night... that was me? I did that?"

Wysteria nodded.

"The light... Oh! I know the incantation! I've seen others use it. Its _Luminis_, isn't it?" Starshower guessed.

"Yes it is. Very good Starshower," Wysteria congratulated her. "Now, the reason those two incantations did not work just now is because we were simply talking about them, we were not focusing on them and willing them to happen. If we wanted either incantation to happen, we would concentrate very hard and envision it taking place. Let's work with the Light Charm. Say the incantation while you envision a light shining in the dark. You control the brightness of the light with your thoughts. If you want to light the whole room, you must see it that way in your mind. The same if you want a mere tiny speck on the tip of your horn." Wysteria waved his horn at the several candles in the room and without speaking, they went out. The curtains had been drawn beforehoof and no light came into the room. "Focus now. _Luminis_."

"_Luminis_," Starshower said. She saw, in her mind's eye, a light at the end of her horn and a small pool of light around her.

"Keep your mental picture of the light in your mind, concentrate on it. Now, open your eyes," Wysteria instructed her.

Keeping her image firmly affixed in her mind, she opened her eyes.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, startled. The light from her horn disappeared as her startledness broke her concentration. But it had been there, the light, just as she had seen it in her mind.

"Try it again. This time don't break your concentration," Wysteria instructed.

It took Star several more tires, and an hour later she could open her eyes and even move around without losing her light.

"Tomorrow we will work on intensity and distance of the light. But I want to teach you one more spell, Starshower. Well, two, as they go _mono a mono_ or 'hoof in hoof.' The two spells are the Lighting and the Extinguishing of Fire. The incantations – _Encender_ and _Extinguir_, respectively." Wysteria waved his horn and a single candle on the end of a candelabra of five lit itself. Wysteria cause the candle stand to float over from the corner until it was standing in front of himself and Star. He smiled at her amazed look. "I'll teach you Levitation another day. Now, focus carefully. Try to light the middle candle on the candle stand. Again, you must concentrate on what you want to happen. Picture the candle being lighted, see the flame appear on the wick."

"_Encender._" Starshower closed her eyes and began to concentrate again.

Wysteria cleared his throat. "I suggest you open your eyes. It will be easier to light the _candle_ and not something else."

From his tone of voice, Star gathered that he had experience in this matter. She giggled, then blushed. She didn't want to start a fire in the Temple. Keeping her eyes open, she stared hard at the middle candle. Just as she had done with the Light Charm, she focused on a small tongue of flame appearing on the tip of the wick. "_Encender._"

It took Starshower several minutes of hard concentration before a "click" was heard that indicated a spark, which promptly disappeared.

"Try again, Starshower. You must hold the flame there until the wick catches fire. Concentrate."

Star concentrated hard. "_Encender_." Beads of sweat dripped around her eyes and down her muzzle. She heard the "click" again, but did not lose her focus. She held her concentration until she was sure the candle had caught fire. Breaking her concentration, she released a breath she didn't know she was holding. The candle stayed lit. "I did it! I did it!" she cheered.

Wysteria smiled and congratulated her. Then promptly blew it out. "Try again."

Star felt slightly depressed. Couldn't he have left it lit and had her try and light the other candles? All her hard work and concentration, blown out! Star cleared away these thoughts and focused on re-lighting the candle. Soon she could light candles with ease.

"Now, _Extinguir_, to put the flame out. Say it, then envision the lick of flame disappearing," Wysteria told her.

Starshower caught on to Extinguir quickly. After a few minutes, she was lighting and extinguishing candles with ease.

"Another time we will practice multiple candles lighting and extinguishing at once."

"Wysteria, how do you perform magic without saying an incantation, like you did earlier with the candles?" Starshower asked.

"It takes lots of practice and hard work to merely think an incantation and have it happen. A few years work of hard work. But you'll get there, I have no doubt of it."

Starshower practiced the magic that Wysteria taught her. She became better with more experience. Wysteria taught her other spells as well. Spells to protect her from various offensive maneuvers, spells to make her or others feel cheerful, spells to mend wounds and spells to write words on parchment.


	10. Ch9: The Adventure & The Black Butterfly

Chapter 9: The Adventure and the Black Butterflies

-This chapter is dedicated to Marbletoast, its inspiration (who is right, why didn't I have Star and the others interacting? :-P); Amber E. Potter (my wonderful ex-beta), Buttercup and Moonlightfairy (the "eccentric" ones, we all love you that way!).-

Something bounced on Star's bed, jarring her from sleep. She cracked one eye open. A bright pink blob filled her vision. She opened both eyes.

"Starshower! Are you awake?" The pink blob asked.

"Moonlightfairy? What are you dooooooing?" Star asked as a yawn slipped out. She blinked, getting rid of the sleep from her eyes. The pink blob turned into a pink pegasus. A very hyper pink pegasus.

"Waking you up silly! And call me Moonie. Bet you can't say 'Sing sweetly silly sunshine' ten times fast!" She bounced on Star's bed.

"Huh?" Starshower asked, not quit fully awake yet.

"It's a tongue twister! Race ya downstairs! Bet ya can't catch me!" Moonie bounced off Star's bed, tore out the door and raced downstairs.

Starshower yawned again.

"I hope she didn't wake you up," a voice said from Star's bedroom door. Buttercup poked her head in.

"No, not really," Starshower replied.

"Good. See you at breakfast." With that Buttercup started on her own way downstairs. Star could hear her saying 'Sing sweetly silly sunshine' just as fast as she could.

_'Odd, very odd,'_ the rainbow unicorn thought. She shook her head and went downstairs for breakfast.

"We're gonna what?" Ember asked, upsetting her fruit bowl at what Wysteria had just said. Grapes rolled off the table onto the floor.

"Ember! Don't upset the dishes like that, now pick up your food," Amber scolded her sister.

"Sorry," Ember moved away from the table and started picking up the grapes.

"Yes Ember, there's a nice lake in the woods, with a pretty beach. I think it would be a wonderful little adventure for the six of you to go down there," Wysteria repeated.

Upon missing a grape from the floor, Ember found it was more fun to chase them around the room. Moonie and Little Flibble joined her.

Moonlightfairy picked one up in her mouth and squirted Ember with it. "Hey!" came the response. She tried to get Moonie back, but missed and got Little Flibble, who giggled and threw one back at her.

"Food fight!" Moonie yelled, running back to the table and grabbing an apple slice that found its way to Amber's head. It hit her squarely between the eyes. A squeal erupted from her. "Moonie!"

Buttercup picked up a peeled banana and threw it at her sister.

Starshower looked from her bowl to the food-fighting ponies. With a laugh she picked up a mouthful of raspberries and flung them at Amber.

"Pick on Amber!" Ember shouted at the same time Moonie yelled, "Bombard 'er!" around a strawberry, throwing it at Amber.

"Eeeep! No fair! _Wysteria!"_ the honey-colored peg squealed again, trying to dodge a barrage of fruit and bread.

Moonie chucked an apple slice at Amber, Ember squirted her with a mouthful of grapes and Little Flibble missed her by a horn's breath with a raspberry. Giggling, Starshower aimed and released a strawberry at the targeted pegasus. Red, cream and purple splotches erupted on Amber's honey-colored coat. "Wysteria, help me!" Amber pleaded.

The Mage chuckled deep in his throat at the young ponies. Using magic, he caused a dozen raspberries to throw themselves at Starshower, Moonie, Buttercup and Ember. One fell on Little Flibble's head, he laughed in delight.

"_No fair!_ Magic's not allowed!" Moonie yelled. Wysteria laughed as she hurled a strawberry at him. Wysteria used magic and sent it back at her. _Squelch!_ Moonie stared at the red splotch on her face, right between her eyes. "Nooo faaaair!" The pink pegasus let out a war whoop as she plowed into Wysteria, sending both of them to the floor.

After a few minutes of Amber staring agastly at Moonie, Wysteria and the pink pegasus roughhousing on the floor and everyone else carrying on with the food fight, Klenly came into the dining room.

"What noise all about?" she shouted over the racket. "Stop! Stop! Ponies get room all dirty!" She waved her yarn-arms about, looking quite comical.

Everyone stopped. Wysteria slowly stood up, nudging Moonie off of him. "I'm sorry Klenly. I suppose I really should have stopped them." He didn't sound like it though.

Klenly shook her finger at him and went back into the kitchen.

Moonie pulled at Wysteria's mane. "Moonie, we're going to have to stop, I'm much too old for this anymore," he told her.

"Aw! Party pooper." Moonie said, releasing his hair.

Wysteria stuck his tongue out at her. "Sorry kiddo."

Moonie and Ember both gasped.

"What? What's wrong?" Amber asked.

"He's - he's too _old_!" Moonie and Ember replied at the same time.

"Too old? Too _old_?" Wysteria repeated, laughing. "Too old for what? To stick out my tongue? Ha!" He stuck the subject of the topic back out again. "You're never too old to have fun! No, my body's just too old to be roughhousing with a young thing like you Moonlightfairy. My bones are creaky and my body tires too quickly." He grabbed a chunckful of her mane and tossed it over her eyes. "Now, take this outside before Klenly comes back and gets even more angry. Curious and some of the others will be out in a little bit to take you to the lake." Moonie pouted. "Go on now, before you get me into more trouble." He gave her a nudge toward the door.

"Come on Moonie, I think you've done enough destruction for one day. Let's go outside and find some butterflies! Bet I can catch more than you!" Buttercup said, taunting her sister.

"Not if I get outside first!" Moonie took the bait and ran outside.

Wysteria chuckled. "Kids."

Starshower, Ember, Amber and Little Flibble followed Buttercup and Moonie outside. Buttercup had found a big puddle of mud from last night's rain and had turned the food fight into a mud fight.

Ember picked up a bit on her hoof, eyeing her sister and wondering if she could hit her from there.

Amber saw her. "Oh no you don't! I'm done! I quit! I want to stay _clean_!" She trotted off and laid down under a tree, content to watch.

Ember switched targets.

_Splat_! Something cold slid down Starshower's right leg.

"Hm... need to work on my aim," Ember noted.

Starshower barreled into Ember, knocking her over into the mud puddle. Both went down and came up laughing.

Little Flibble sat in his own mud puddle, watching the mud splash up and splatter back down to earth each time he stuck his little baby hooves in it.

Moonie and Buttercup joined Star and Ember rolling in the mud puddle.

Curious came out from the Temple with three other Bushwillies. One of them, a dark blue one, was clucking his tongue. "Silly ponies get all dirty playing in mud like that!"

"Evening, that the point!" Curious shouted as he joined the ponies in the mud.

Evening shook his head. "Ponies and Curious need bath. Swimming sound fun?"

The Bushwillie was met with a chorus of "yes!". "Ok then! On we go!"

"Wait for meeeeee!" a young male voice said, coming from the Temple door way. An orange earther with yellow hair came running out. Star spotted red apples on his hips. Blazer and two more adult ponies came out behind him.

Starshower let out a gasp, and was not the only one.

The two ponies that followed the sky-blue pegasus were both unicorns. What startled everyone was the healing gashes along their flanks and eyes, around and on their horns. One was pale green with light red hair and red wings on his hips, the other was light purple with orange and yellow hair, daisies on her flanks and feathery hooves.

A fifth Bushwillie, aqua blue, followed this new group of survivors out. She called, "Starshower, Flibbles, Appletart, Amber and Ember, please come here."

Still ogling the newcomers, the seven ponies went over to the Bushwillie. "Stop looking at them!" She chided quietly. "You must not stare! That rude. Wysteria says he tell you more later, but now you must not stare! Understand?"

Managing to pull their eyes away from the wounds, the seven young ponies nodded to the water-colored ball of yarn. That done, she went back into the Temple.

Appletart looked from Amber to Little Flibble. "Who are all of you? I'm Appletart." The six other young ponies introduced themselves to him, then started the trek to the lake.

As the group of ponies followed Blazer, carrying the four Bushwillies who gave directions, Starshower made a mental note to talk to Wysteria about the aqua Bushwillie, who's speech had been much better than Curious' or any of the other's. She also reminded herself not to stare as her eyes wandered to the back of the group where the two unicorns walked.

"Blackberries!" Moonie yelled, spotting bushes of said berry a few moments later. She dove in, Little Flibble hot on her tail. Ember joined her after she escaped from her sister - "You'll get all dirty again!"

"'M alreay diry silly!" Ember replied, eating a mouthful of blackberries.

"And don't eat with your mouth full!"

Buttercup laughed. "Come on Amber! They're good!" She and Appletart joined her siblings in the berry-filled bushes.

Not being full from breakfast because of the food fight, Star ate her fill of blackberries. She noticed the two unicorns and Blazer eating from a bush a little bit away.

After everyone, including the Bushwillies, had eaten their fill, they continued on their way to the lake.

Ember, Moonie and Starshower followed closely by Appletart were the first into the cool water when they finally spotted sand through the trees about half an hour later. Screaming and rolling in the water, they started their third fight that day - a water fight.

Buttercup stayed with Little Flibble closer to shore where it was shallow enough for him to stand comfortably on the sandy lake bottom. He splashed away in it while his sister laughed.

Amber went in, got wet and got back out, sitting down under a tree just off the beach. The three adults went further into the lake, being taller; and a small distance away from the younger ponies.

"Amber! Come on!" Ember hollered.

"I'm clean already. Plus I'm comfortable here. I think I'm going to take a nap." Amber closed her eyes.

'_Wrong move_,' Ember and Moonie thought at the same time. They looked at each other, reading the other's mind, then nodded. Starshower saw their mischievous gleam and

wondered if she should warn Amber. She decided against it. Both pegs went under water, making sure they were saturated with liquid.

Getting out and sneaking silently up to the napping Amber, they reared up and shook themselves above her.

Screaming, Amber jumped up and nearly knocked both over. She chased the squealing ponies back to the water. "I'm going to get you!"

Moonie and Ember dove back in. Amber grumbled at the water's edge, unable to reach the pests without getting even more wet.

Starshower saw Buttercup whisper something in Little Flibble's ear, then carefully get out and come up behind Amber. Ember and Moonie tried to stifle their laughter.

"What are you laughing- AAAAH!" Amber got cut off as Buttercup pushed her into the water. Amber came up sputtering to laughing ponies. "Oh, _fine_." Buttercup went back to playing with Little Flibble as Amber swam out to her sister and tried unsuccessfully to dunk her. The favor was returned to her three times, twice by Ember and once by Moonie. Starshower was content to be splashed and to splash back.

Appletart insisted on splashing and dunking everyone except Little Flibble, whom Buttercup had defiantly protected from the other boy. Appletart had given up on Little Flibble right away, but had made sure to give Buttercup an extra big splash.

After a good hour of water play, all the young ponies except Moonie and Appletart sluggishly climbed out of the water and under the shade of the trees, all dripping wet. They joined Little Flibble, who had been sleeping for several minutes already, allowing his oldest sister join the water fight.

Amber yawned. "I think I could sleep for a year." She glanced at Moonie, still splashing Appletart. "Don't you _ever_ run out of energy?"

"Doubt it," Buttercup answered before she too yawned.

"At least some sense runs in your family," Amber kidded around another yawn.

Buttercup was almost asleep already and made no reply.

Everyone gave a couple of yawns each, then drifted off to sleep.

"Youch!"

Starshower became wide awake quite quickly when Appletart kicked her in the hip.

"Ouch, that hurt! Why'd you do that?" she asked, rubbing the sore spot with her muzzle.

"That butterfly bit me!" he replied nodding to a black butterfly that had fluttered up to the tree they were sleeping under.

"Don't be silly," Amber said. Apparently he had woken up everyone else. "Butterflies don't bite anyone. They don't have mouths."

"Well, this one does! And it bit me!" Appletart retorted.

"Didn't you just-" Amber started.

"Stop, stop," Buttercup interjected. "Appletart, maybe it _stung_ you, don't butterflies have some sort of tongue?" Her statement stopped the argument before it even started.

"Well... _maybe_. Whatever it did, it hurt!" The young male started rubbing his muzzle with is foreleg. "Sorry about kicking you Starshower."

"It's ok, it was an accident," Star replied. "I wonder why it hurt though. I mean, Wysteria has been teaching me a lot of things, but I don't think poisonous butterflies was one of them."

Appletart looked scared. "It was-"

"No, I'm sure it wasn't. You're fine Appletart," Buttercup said soothingly.

"We'll have to ask Wysteria about it when we get back. Speaking of which-" Amber was interrupted by her stomach. She blushed. "I think we should start back now."

"Yeah, I'm hungry!" Moonie agreed.

"Finally, you two agree on something," Buttercup mumbled.

"Heard that!" Moonie jumped up on her sister. Little Flibble thought it was some sort of game and joined her. Laughing, Buttercup tumbled to the ground, her siblings following suit. "Stop, stop!" she gasped. They got off, Moonie snickering. Buttercup got back on her feet, looking around. "Where did Blazer and the others go?"

"I don't know, but should we go looking for them?" Amber asked.

Just then Curious came out from the bushes, followed by the other three Bushwillies and the three adult ponies. "Ah! You awake now! Hungry?"

"Yes!"

"We go back now!"

"A _black_ butterfly stung you?" Wysteria asked.

"Yes," Appletart replied.

It was an hour and a half later, everyone had gone back to the Temple and had lunch. Appletart, the Flibbles, Starshower, Amber, Ember and Wysteria were all in the library.

"Well, that is odd. Though Buttercup and Amber are right, butterflies don't have mouths. They have a sort of long tongue that they use to drink nectar from flowers. Its called a proboscis. But I digress. Black you say... interesting..." The dark blue unicorn got up from his sitting couch and went over to one of the bookshelves. Scanning the titles, he found one high up and brought it down with magic. He set it on a table and started flipping through it. He stopped on one page and read it for a moment. "Mm-hm, thought so." He motioned for the others to come look.

They gathered around the table. The book was an older volume, large and dusty. The page that Wysteria had open showed a black butterfly on a green leaf.

"_Ebious insectus_," Wysteria said.

"_What_?" everyone else replied.

"A very old magic lies deep within the Valley of the Temple of Light and the Mountain Guard around it, protecting it. This magic turns any enemy into black butterflies. Apparently they still hold some darkness in them and sting you if they touch you," Wysteria explained.

"'_Apparently_'?" Amber asked.

"Apparently," Wysteria repeated. "I didn't know that before and the book doesn't say anything about what would happen to anyone that came into contact with _Ebious insectus_. Oh, and I must tell you about Redwing and Garden Glade."

"Are those the two beat-up unicorns?" Appletart asked.

"Yes, though I must ask you not to say that, please," Wysteria chided him lightly.

"Sorry."

"The intruders that ruined your homes did that to them. Oceana already told you not to stare. You must also leave them alone until later, and not say anything," Wysteria told them.

"We won't," chorused back.

Wysteria nodded, "Good." He put the book back on the shelf.

Everyone dispersed after a moment. Starshower caught up to Wysteria. "Wysteria, why does Oceana speak differently than the other Bushwillies? I mean, she talks better. Why?"

Wysteria gave a small laugh. "She enjoys reading with me."

"She can read too? I didn't think they had the attention span to do anything like that!" Starshower giggled. "I know Curious doesn't, he just wants to have fun."

"Most of them don't," Wysteria joined Star's laughter. "There are some though that are special, Majek, Klenly and Oceana being some of them. Once in a while there are a few rare ones that are more on our own intelligence level."

"Thanks for telling me."

"You're welcome. Now get on down to dinner and make sure you're in bed on time, you were out playing a lot today," Wysteria said in a fatherly voice.

"I will," Star assured him.

Odd, I don't consider myself a writer of humor, yet I loved this and even made myself laugh!

Author's Note: Do I still have any readers...? I will try to update this summer! Promise! -Crosses fingers- -Misses the shift+numbers options- Stupid !

Note:

- Gender: Females in my pony-verse are a bit slimmer, more graceful-looking and slightly smaller than males, who are a bit bigger and... um... stockier, for lack of a better word.

- Hairy-footedness: Unlike Hasbro, feathery hooves do not denote masculinity (yes, that is a real word, shocked me too). On Aniel, feathery hooves denote a Mountain pony, a pony who lives in the mountains. Or in later cases; very, very cold places.

- Appletart is G1 Applejack, whom I do see as a boy.

- Amber, I'm sorry I made you the targeted, over-sisterly one. But I did need some one to be level-headed. It just sort of happened. Blames Princess

- For those of you that care, the first wounded unicorn is G2 Golden Glow and a sort of tribute to MF, because she had to get in there somewhere, what with all three of her kids in already! The second wounded unicorn is G3 Garden Glade, with hairy feet.


	11. Chapter 10: The Third Floor & the Seven

Chapter 10: The Third Floor and the Seven

Starshower focused, focused, focused. She paid no heed to the small droplets of sweat collecting on her face. _Focus._

Wysteria watched as candle stands, pillows, a gilded mirror and a few scattered books floated from one end of the dining room to the other; some at the same time and some singly.

After all of the objects had been moved to their specified locations, Starshower took in a few deep breathes and said, "Finished. Ready."

Wysteria merely nodded his head and spoke the next directions, "Darken the candles."

Starshower thought a moment then nodded her head, showing she understood. "_Extinguir_," she said, waving her horn at all the candles in the dining room. Each and every one went slowly dim, then out.

"Light them," Wysteria's firm voice cut through the dark.

"_Encender_." Each candle simultaneously alighted itself and the room was once again bathed with bright candlelight.

Starshower tried to hide her smile.

"Extinguish them again."

"_Extinguir_." Each candle went out again.

"Light five, then extinguish them."

"_Encender_," Starshower repeated, waving her horn pointed at a candelabra with five candles on it. They lit up. "_Extinguir_," she said again. They went out.

Wysteria relighted all of the candles, then simply stared at Star. After a few minutes, he spoke. "I will give you your score tomorrow."

Starshower was antsy. She barely ate her breakfast and she wandered aimlessly around the Temple. She was anxious to talk to Wysteria and to find out how she had done on her magic test.

She meandered her way to the kitchens. Star asked Curious where Wysteria was, receiving the reply he was in his room and would be down after lunch. Star pouted, then decided it was time for her to explore the third floor.

Coming to the stone stairwell that Wysteria had said was not there before she came to the Temple, it is more inviting now that she knew more about it. Starshower slowly descended into the dark unknown.

Torches magically lighted themselves as her presence was made known by her small hooves hitting cold stone steps, startling her at first. The torch holders, appearing to be made of crystal, reflected the light, casting tiny rainbows on the walls of the stairwell.

Star reached the end of the stairs and double doors without a handle. How to open it? "_Abrir_," she tried. Nothing.

She stood thinking. Then, closing her eyes tight and focusing hard, she envisioned a rainbow and said, "By the Rainbow and its Seven, _Abrir_."

Even though it had been a complete guess, the doors opened with a creak. Starshower stepped into a large room with eight sides. A magnificent candelabra stand in the middle and torches in each corner burst to life.

Each wall depicted the Seven, with his or her name in an ancient language Starshower couldn't read, but could only guess at.

Around the central candelabra seven pillars, each at a height where Star could easily see what they beheld. Each represented the Seven Colors of the Rainbow, made out of colored stone. Star knew what they displayed and decided the history was more prominent than the magic right now.

She started with Red, on her right from the double doors.

A male from the mountains, his hooves were feathery. A regal horn protruded between angsty, hard eyes. Starshower was shocked to see all Seven Colors in his mane, even though Wysteria had told her of it. His symbol was even more shocking as well, all Seven Colors in a swirl. He stood simply, head up and proud, amid a black background.

Jovial and joking, Orange's eyes stared back at Star from brilliance. He was a unipeg, rare even back then. While unsure what Red represented, Orange was easily discernible not just from her dream but also from his symbol as well. Tongues of fire graced his flanks and traveled up his wings, seeming to engulf the pony. Such a destructive element did not seem to fit his mischievous eyes, but Star did not know his story. The sky above him and the earth beneath him were united by air that was filled with the Orange unipeg. A herd dwelt beneath him, though Star could not pick out mate nor children, simply a herd.

The first female and only earther, Star learned from glancing around the room, Yellow was a golden sand color, warm and inviting. She had a sad look to her, but she looked much like Red. They had the same eyes, almost. Her symbol was just as strange as Red's, a red heart entwined by green vines. Starshower was unsure of what her symbol represented. But she must have had a happier life than Red, for her background showed a small herd around her.

Green was a vibrant, _alive_ color. Forest green leaves showed up nicely on a light green coat. The leaves looked like they were being blown along the unicorn's flanks and there was even a tiny leaf under his eye. Starshower could see quite the garden around him, as well as several other ponies. They must be his herd. One, a white earther with bright pink hair and strawberries all over her body and one on her forehead between the eyes - Star giggled, remembering the food fight a few months earlier - was looking at Green fondly. She looked like his mate.

Blue held the beautiful grace that Starshower always allied with water. Another unicorn mountain pony, Water's symbol was light blue waves flowing along his sides. His background showed a vast meadow in a valley, filled with many ponies of different colors, ages and types. Several pools of crystal-clear blue water held something Starshower had never seen - fishponies. They had the head and forehooves of a pony and the curled tail of the seapony that Starshower had seen in Wysteria's marine life book in the Temple's library.

Indigo was the only one that Star had ever truly heard the most of and the only one she could guess at the name and be sure. _Athalas_. The blue-violet pony beheld the plant of healing along her legs, flanks, back and even a few tiny ones scattered on her face. Her story was of injured ponies, patients that the Unicorn of Healing had taken care of. Starshower enjoyed her pretty, welcoming, cheery eyes.

The last, Violet of the Ice. Starshower had heard very little of her and her continent of frost, but she had heard some. She looked past amethyst ice to the Anterica behind Violet. The frigid ice continent was connected to the rest of the world by a Winking Stone, Wysteria had told her. Few rarely entered the Isle of Snow, for its weather carved through their warm-season fur. Star watched how Violet's warm eyes seemed to melt away her icy exterior. Her wings, larger and sturdier than Blazer's, flared out behind her as she came to land amid her herd on a patch of ice. Star could not find a symbol until she wondered if she shouldn't search for it but seek if from the corner of her eye. Violet's long, sleek fur reflected the light of the candles and displayed the cool colors - blue, indigo and light violet - along her flanks.

Starshower returned to the double doors, knowing the stone displays were next.

The Power of the Rainbow.

Rad


	12. Chapter 11: The Stone & Changes

Chapter 11: The Stone and Changes

As Starshower stepped towards the red display pillar, the central candelabra rose to the ceiling. The flame stayed in the room while the stand receded into the floor. Its surface was of polished stone, the Seven Colors ringing inside it.

Starshower went and stood on the Rainbow'd circles, facing the doorway. Wysteria stood there, looking black in the shadows. He did not smile in greeting, nor did he frown and chastise her for entering the third floor.

_~Child of the Rainbow, you have returned. So have you returned, We send you away to learn of the darkness and of the Sendas past. You do not go alone, We will be with you. We will send help to guide you but you must learn and find the answers on your own.~_

The light at the ceiling flickered. A single tongue of flame fell and landed on the tip of Star's horn. It glowed white. The fire above her fell in a ring around her.

_~Child of All the Colors, you need to learn to be without them and yet still with them at the same time. You must create a new order. We will send our vessels with you.~ _

The Seven Stones from the pillars flew to a point above Starshower. They twirled in an intricate, unseen pattern around her, then all congregated to her horn tip.

The fire glowed to such intensity that Starshower had to close her eyes tightly to shield them from the ferocity of the light.

As the light began to fade, Star felt something land lightly against her chest between her upper forelegs. The light disappeared and Starshower opened her eyes, allowing them to adjust to the now darker room, lit only by the eight torches in the corners. Wysteria stood in the doorway, starring at her in awe.

A soft breeze blew in the underground cavern, defying logic. It touched Star, soothed her.

A few strands of red hair blew into her vision.

Star turned. Barely able to see her mane, her tail told her all she needed to know, showed her all she needed to see.

Seven different colors fell, cascading to the floor.

Then Starshower screamed.

Her body, her body matched the darkness around her; the darkness that the eight torches could never penetrate.

She was black.

Devoid of Light and Color.

Starshower shrieked. How could they, how could they? She ran in circles, trying to escape herself.

_~Be calmed, little one of the Rainbow. Your marquee now matches your name.~ _

"_'Child of the Rainbow,'_ how can I when I am devoid of the Seven Colors in body?!" she screamed in retaliation.

As Starshower slowed her reckless circling, she realized something was around her neck.

The Seven Stones, she realized immediately upon seeing it. The Seven Stones, fused into one piece of jewelry. The Seven ringed an eighth, white and black. The white was a sun, whose rays touched the edge of the stone, going through a black moon.

_~As the sun creates the moon's image and shadows, to the Light must learn to live with the Darkness.~_

As Starshower studied the gem, she saw truly her new symbol, or marquee, as the Voice had said.

As she moved, fine, silver-gray hair hidden within her new black coat shimmered, caught and reflected light.

Starshower was allowed a brief glimpse of herself as if from the eyes of another. She looked like a shower of stars on a raven-black night sky.

All of this had barely sunk in for Starshower when six balls of glowing light appeared, then disappeared just as quickly. In their places stood Little Flibble, Moonlightfairy, Buttercup, Ember, Amber and Appletart.

_~Thank you for tending our Temple, Wysteria of the Acolytes of Light.~_

There was a blast of heat and Starshower felt herself being pulled through a sieve. She saw silver-black threads go by her, and planets of magnificent size whiz past.

She felt herself being _pulled_, then blackness.


	13. Chapter 12: Battle Armor: Part 1

Chapter 12: Battle Armor ~ Part 1: New World

Starshower groaned and slowly opened her eyes, and was met with the dark of late evening. She winced as she stretched - something prickly poked her rump.

Twisting around, Star saw a black tree branch was the cause of her slight discomfort. It matched her coat; she was still black as night. A single tear rolled down her cheek. She brushed the branch away with her leg. It crumpled to dust at her touch and she gasped.

It was ashen dead, having been burned by a scorching fire quite some time before.

Starshower jumped up and away from the rest of the dead tree. Something thumped against her chest; she looked down and saw the Rainbow pendant that had been given to her in the Temple... moments ago? Looking around her she found she was in a forest of dead trees.

She stifled a scream at the blackened forest round her. How could someone have let this happen to the forest? Had it been a raging, destructive fire that had gotten out of control? And such a beautiful forest it must have been.

Starshower's thoughts were scattered when a shrill, very familiar scream shattered the deadly silence of the ashen forest. Odd, thunderclap-like explosion sounds surrounded the scream.

"Little Flibble? Little Flibble!" Starshower screamed, running in the direction of the noise.

After a few moments of running and the explosion noises getting louder, Starshower came to a clearing. There Starshower beheld a wonderful, awful sight. There as a large object, large as a sleeping room, made out of metal, much like the same metal Wysteria had shown her that the Elves used. It seemed to hover a few feet from the ground, defying all of Star's logic. A second foreign object was also in the clearing. Several adult pony-sized platforms zipped around. Creatures seemed to ride them, pony-shaped creatures covered in more metal.

The explosion noises continued. Star realized they were coming from very strange bursts of energy from the flying platforms. Great blasts of lightning-like energy exploded from metal tubes on the platforms. Burnt red bolts of light stuck the ground and left terrible burn marks on the scorched earth. Starshower stood rooted to the spot and choked on a scream.

The deadly bolts were aimed at a terrified Little Flibble.

The little pony tripped over a rock. He lay on the dark earth, panting heavily and crying.

Two platforms circled around him, going in for the... the..

"No!" Staring open-jawed at what the metal creatures were about to do, Starshower screamed _Proteshion_. She hoped with all her heart the magic shield would defeat this alien beam of death.

The magical fire-red bubble appeared around the purple baby. Star let out a deep breath she didn't know she had been holding when the deadly rays dissipated as they came into contact with the shield.

"What the pit?!"

Starshower was unsure who said that odd statement as she ran to Little Flibble. The young pony was whimpering but unhurt, save for a few forest scratches. Star comforted him as best she could. "Let's get out of here," she whispered. Little Flibble nodded.

But before they could take even one step, Starshower heard metal catch on metal. A loud, harsh voice said, "Hold it right there!"

Starshower raised her head. One of the metal-covered, pony-shaped creatures had something pointed at her and Little Flibble. She had no idea what it was but it was shaped like the metal tubes that had thrown the deadly rays at Little Flibble. Starshower understood they were dangerous and froze, pressing her body to Little Flibble.

"You two are prisoners of the Rodio Republic of Cria."


	14. Chapter 13: Battle Armor: Part 2

Chapter 13: Battle Armor ~ Part 2: Nightmares and a Dead World

Starshower paced around the room for the fourth time that night, unable to sleep. She glanced at Little Flibble, who was still sleeping and wondered for the gazillionth time _what was going on_ and what they were supposed to do.

After they had been taken captive the metal-covered creatures had blindfolded them and taken them to this room. Starshower and Little Flibble had been given bread and water, but Starshower had too many questions on her mind for sleep.

The room was poorly lit with a few scant candles, so Little Flibble had yet to see Star's dark coat and react to it. The darkness, pacing and heaviness on her mind slowly caused Star to fall asleep late in the night.

Starshower stumbled around in the dead forest, wondering where she was and where the others were, wondering how they had gotten to the strange, dead world. Wondering, wondering, wondering.

And she was scared. Very scared.

She heard someone step on a stick somewhere around her. "Ember, Amber? Appletart? Moonlightfairy, Buttercup, Little Flibble? Is that you? Where are you?" She turned around, around and around again, searching for the source of the sound.

She heard laughter.

"Yes Starshower, it's us. We're coming." The voice was low and sharp.

Starshower was not sure whose voice it could possibly be, none of her friends' voices sounded like that at all. She stopped her frantic searching and shivered.

She heard the crashing of dead wood all around her. Her friends came out of the forest, surrounding her.

"Oh, I'm so glad I finally found you! Are you all ok?" Starshower asked.

"We're fine, just fine." There was that voice again!

Starshower turned in more circles, wondering whose voice that was.

She gasped. All her friends were there, but they weren't her friends. They were all many shades darker, too dark to be affected by the forest.

"Wha-what's going on? What happened to you all?" Starshower cried.

"Oh, it's not what happened to us. It's what happened to you, _Shadow_," came that awful voice again. Her friends' mouths were moving, all of them, in sync with the awful voice.

"What do you mean?" Star cried.

"You are of the Shadow now. And the Shadow leads to a place of death." They began to laugh and taunt her.

_Shadow._

_ Shadow._

_ Shadow._

It echoed all around her. Starshower was terrified. How could her friends ridicule her like that? What had she done, what had changed?

Starshower broke through the group and ran, ran as if the Darkness itself were after her. She ran through the forest, not stopping until she was stopped by a lake. She peered into the water, wondering what had changed about her.

Her reflection, a black shadow of who she was, looked back at her.

She screamed.

Still screaming, she woke up. Little Flibble was looking at her strangely.

"Starshowa, what's wrong?" Little Flibble asked, looking at Star with sleep-heavy eyes.

Star's head snapped in the direction of the baby's voice. He was looking at her in concern. "I-I had nightmare. I'm ok now."

Little Flibble got up and walked over to Star. "I have bad dreams too sometimes. I go in Mommy and Daddy's room and sleep with them when bad dreams come. Can I sleep with you Star?"

"Yes Little Flibble, you may." Star welcomed the company, and the warmth, as Little Flibble snuggled beside her.

"Goodnight, Little Flibble."

"Night Star," he yawned. He curled up next to her and with the innocents of a child was asleep after only a few minutes.

It took Starshower several minutes before she calmed down. The steady beat of Little Flibble's breathing soothed her and eventually lulled her to sleep.

A door banged open, waking both Starshower and Little Flibble. Star blinked in the still mostly-dark room. Most of the candles had gone out but a few rays from the sun came in through the high, tiny, barred window.

"Get up you two. Captain Vizier wants to see you," a harsh voice said, followed by a grumbled, "That stupid crystal ball reader Cloakra and her ramblings."

"Star, what-?"

"I don't know Little Flibble," Star cut in, standing up. "But we better do what he says. Stay with me."

One of the metal-covered creatures had been the one to wake them. He was their jailer, with a ring of ugly keys on his hip. He was the one who had given them their scant food last night. When Star and Little Flibble left the cell, he closed the door carelessly with his hind hooves, causing a loud **BAM** to ring through the long stone hall. Starshower shivered and Little Flibble pressed closer to her.

They were led through winding stone hallways with dimly lit torches to a room with long benches and a platform and pulpit in front of them. There were two creatures in the room, both standing on the platform. One was another metal creature, the other almost ponyish. The first was taller and male by his voice, the second female by her voice and covered by a dark blue robe. Her face was hidden by a metal mask that only revealed a pair of midnight blue eyes, a shade Star had never seen before. Whenever the female moved her hooves created odd clanking noises.

Star and Littler Flibble were brought before them.

"So, these are the rogues you found in the delta quadrant? They don't look like much trouble to me," the tall one announced, clearly used to having people never second-guess him.

The other could only stare at Starshower in some sort of awe. "You are wrong, Captain. It is she, she of the prophesies. She will save our dead and dying world." Her eyes glittered like diamonds.

Star had no idea what she was talking about.


	15. Chapter 14: Battle Armor: Part 3

Chapter 14: Battle Armor: Part 3  
Enemy's Camp

The Captain, as he had been called, gave something between a whinnying laugh and a snort. "This little pathetic thing? Are you sure? She is a child in comparison to us!"

"I am sure Captain Alta, it has been foretold by the stars and the prophesies.  
'Rainbow gracing,  
Black as midnight sky.  
Stars sparkling,  
Fallen from the sky.  
Our city you will save,  
Arising our world from the grave.  
Prophesies fulfilling,  
See through the Eye.  
Power conquering,  
The future beheld in your eye.  
Unleashing the Mountain's power,  
Forcing our enemies to cower,'" she recited, her words ringing in the stone room.

"Well Cloakra," the Captain said, glancing at her then eyeing Starshower." Your advice and predictions have been right and helpful before. Take the prisoners to cell A-13."

Starshower and Little Flibble were led away, but not brought back to their cell. They were brought to a brightly lit, well-furnished room. It was still a cell; Star learned when the door locked behind them. She could hear their guards mumbling. She moved closer to the door and mumbled _Comprende palabras._

"I don't know why we had to bring them here, why couldn't we just take her straight to the Room of Glass?"

"Pit if I know, Captain's orders."

The two guards fell silent. Star whispered _Silencio palabas_ and went away from the door. Little Flibble blinked at her and asked, "Star, why're you black? And your hair's so pretty now."

Starshower heard his childish innocence and relaxed. "I, um, don't know how it happened. You like it?"

"Yeah! You sparkle now."

Star smiled and relaxed into the idea that Little Flibble accepted her new design. Starshower racked her brain for games her parents had played with her when she was young and tried to keep them occupied throughout the next few days. Three times a day simple food was brought to them, but the guards never said much. Starshower listened in on a few of their conversations but learned nothing. Over the next few nights, Starshower's dreams were much less fearful. If Little Flibble accepted her, the others would as well.

You people get this a little early, with much thanks to Vaughn von Vahn. Thank _you_ so much for the review! And the 15th of the month thing is new ish... Last month the 15th fell on date night for me and my husband and then I kinda forgot about it... I am going to read your MLP story one of these days, I promise! And yes, please do point out my errors!

I don't like the last paragraph. I am fixing that, I promsie.

Rad


	16. Chapter 15: Battle Armor: Part 4

Chapter 15: Battle Armor Part 4: Flying

Starshower awoke from sleep when she heard muffled talking and footsteps. Her ears flicked toward the door at the sound of a key in the lock. She became fully awake when the door creaked open.

"You, the black one, up. Now," the guard said in a gruff voice.

Starshower looked at him and blinked. "I'm-"

"Yeah, you. Come on."

Star nuzzled Little Flibble. He yawned and looked at her quizzically. "I wanna sleep in some more."

"We can't. We have to-"

"The baby ain't goin' nowhere. Cap'n just wants you. Now, come on,"

Star looked at him defiantly. "I'm not going anywhere without Little Flibble." The guard seemed to muddle through this defiant statement, then shrugged. Little Flibble got up and they followed the guard down several hallways until they joined with Captain Alta.

"I said, 'Just the black one.'" He raised an eyebrow.

"She wouldn't come without 'im. Not much I kin do 'bout it."

The Captain sighed. "So be it. Get the skiff ready."

"Yes suh."

Captain Alta waited until the guard had left, "Well, well, little one. Cloakra says you will be our savior. You'll save us form those Pit-destined Tovians. You look a bit small and scrawny to me, but Cloakra's never been wrong before." He stood for several moments staring at Starshower, musing. Another guard joined them and whispered something to Alta. He nodded the guard left and said, "We are leaving, come."

Star and Little Flibble followed him through stone halls, past torches and gates and more doors than Star could count.

Star smelled the fresh air before she felt it or was out in it. It smelled of fire and decay, but was much cleaner than the musty smell of the indoors they had just left.

The Captain had brought them to what looked like a dock, though air had replaced water. Glancing over the side, Starshower discovered they were a least two stories off the ground. She tried not to look over the side again. Moored at the air-dock was a contraption much like the flying things that had attacked Little Flibble earlier, only much larger and enclosed. Alta ushered a scared Little Flibble and Starshower into it. Something closed behind them, causing Starshower to gulp and Little Flibble to press against her in fear. The Captain noticed and assured them they were safe.

The thing moved. It rose from its immobile position and moved swiftly, knocking Star and Little Flibble to the floor.

"Are... are we flying?" Star asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Yes, we are," came Alta's cool, short reply.

"Star! Are we really flying? I've always wanted to fly!" Little Flibble exclaimed.

"Yeah, we are! I have too!" Star was happy that the new sensation was calming, if not exciting, to Little Flibble.

They both quickly lost interest in the flying contraption as nothing else happened. Star assumed they were still flying. Little Flibble plopped on the floor and Star followed, both utterly bored.

After an untracked amount of time, Starshower heard several explosions and the air ship rocked to the side, sending Star and Little Flibble tumbling against the wall and landing in a heap on the floor.

"Report!" Captain Alta bellowed.

"Sire, six Tovian one-pilot air cycles, two A-3 carriers!" came a voice from another room. "Two air cycles on the starboard side, three on the port side. The –"

"The A-3s! Where are they?" Captain Alta demanded.

"One above, one below!" the other voice answered.

"The _Alhalla_?" Alta questioned.

"Engine one has minor damage, two through four are fine. Guns three and four are damaged, five and six are dead, one and two fully functional."

"_**Open fire**_! Take down those A-3s!" Alta roared. "Raise the shields! Cloak us after firing three rounds from both guns!"

More explosions followed, but the ship did not jolt again. Star and Little Flibble stayed on the floor against the wall, deciding that was safest.

"Captain! The lights must go for both the shield and the cloak!"

"Do it! Just get us to the cave!" Alta shouted.

Starshower's eyes flicked from Alta to the walls. She could hear more explosions, what was going on? What did it all mean?

Several hours – but no more explosions – later, the strange ship made a scrapping noise, then a soft bump.

Another metal-covered pony stuck his head around the corner. "Safe touch down, Captain."

"Report our status." The Captain seemed to be much more clam, Star noticed.

"Approximately twelve yards to the cave. Landed approximately five miles into the forest. No Tovians in sight, the cloak threw them off."

"Excellent Elin. Stay with the ship, keep it hidden. I will return when my task is complete."

Starshower noticed he hadn't mentioned Little Flibble or herself. She worried over it.

Alta looked at Star and beckoned for her to follow him. "The little one stays."

"He comes or I don't," Starshower replied boldly, knees shaking. Alta growled, but didn't say anything.

They had landed in a small clearing in a forest. Alta led them through thick underbrush for several minutes until they came to a cave. The Captain didn't falter so Star and Little Flibble fell into step behind him.

The cave got dark quickly and Little Flibble pressed himself up against Star, whispering, "I'm scared."

"Sh, it's ok. I'm here," she consoled him

A few moments later they came to a set of doors with torches on either side. The doors had no handle, no lock that Starshower could find.

"Now, Black One of the prophecy, open the doors," Captain Alta demanded of her.

"What? How-?"

"Do it!" He shoved her towards the door.

Late update because... our internet is crappy and I meant to fix/adjust most of the previous chapters... Huge thanks to Vaugh von Vanfor pointing out several typing mistakes.

- Rad


	17. Chapter 16: Battle Armor: Part 5

Chapter 16: Battle Armor Part 5:

Revelations in the Room of Glass

'_Please, please open. Oh Rainbow… help me_,' Starshower thought as she squeezed her eyes tight. She cracked one eye open when she heard a creak. It was the doors… they were opening.

Starshower heard someone take a sharp breath – and realized it was herself.

The doors swung open and the trio walked into darkness. Starshower heard the doors close behind them. After they had taken a few steps, the small room suddenly filled with light. Looking around, they discovered that there was no other way out; the one they had just come through was closed off and no handle was apparent.

The room was small and made completely of glass, reflecting light that came nowhere and everywhere at the same time.

Above them, on the ceiling, was a mosaic of a pony made with shards of glass. She was the purple of a late sunset and her mane was sky blue and pure white. Her symbol looked much like a dark turquoise gem, reflecting light from the unseen source. She was Merian by the fragile, gossamer wings that spilled from her back. The petite pony was the most beautiful, majestic thing Starshower had ever seen.

When Star's eyes landed on the mosaic pony's eyes, she felt someone studying her – but that was impossible! Little Flibble wasn't looking at her and Alta was scanning the room. It seemed like someone was using a sieve on her mind; something invisible reached into her thoughts…

Starshower gasped when a pony – a real, live pony – came through the ceiling. It was the mosaic pony, in all her glory.

Star looked at Captain Alta and Little Flibble, to see their reactions – but both were frozen; not moving and not reacting to this mysterious phenomenon.

"Who are you?" the Merian asked.

"Please, what about Little Flibble and Captain Alta? Are they alright?"

"Your concern for your companions shows you have a kind heart. They are fine. I am Lazuli Meena, guardian of this world. May I ask again, you are you?"

"My name is Starshower," Star replied simply.

"What world are you from, little Starshower, touched by both the true Rainbow and the Darkness?"

Starshower swallowed. "My world is called Aniel."

"Ah, Aniel. Where the Rainbow is remembered yet forgotten. Do you know why you are here, Little Rainbow?" Lazuli questioned.

Starshower shook her head "no."

"You were brought to this world to end the war. You were brought to this world to restore the balance. You were brought to this world to right the wrongs that its inhabitants have made, to reunite ponies, to renew the world and to bring it new life."

"But, but how? How could I possibly do all those things?"

"The Rainbow has touched you. The Darkness has claimed you. Both are brought together and united in you. You have a pure heart. This is only a trial before your real adventures, to prepare you. It all is."

"All – all _what_?"

"That is not for me to know. The Rainbow is with you, it will guide you," Lazuli paused, "You must stop the war or this world can not be saved. You have already seen it in is final stages of death."

"The forest?"

"Yes. The rest of this world is dying in much the same way. You must stop the war, before it is too late."

"But how? How am I supposed to stop war when I know nothing about it? When I don't even know what it _is_?"

"Hush Little One. The Tovians come to claim the Lethians' prize. They will explain much to you."

"But how am I to stop this… this war?" Starshower asked again, near tears.

"That is for you to discover, but you will not be alone. Remember, the Rainbow is always with you." Lazuli motioned to Little Flibble. "Listen to the wisdom of a child's heart. You are not much older than he; yet you both still have your innocence."

With these words Lazuli Meena faded away, melting into the glass room.

The room's glow dimmed and faded away as the cave began to shake. Starshower began to panic. Where was Little Flibble? Who was coming? What was she to do?

"_Luminis__! __Luminis__! __Luminis__!_" Light poured from her horn, lighting up the small room. Captain Alta and Little Flibble still stood unmoving. Star rushed to the small pony, brushing his side, trying to keep them together. At her touch, Little Flibble unfroze.

"Star, what's going on?" he asked as dirt, shards of glass, and chunks of rock began falling down around them.

"I'm not sure, but we'll be safe soon." Starshower forced hope into her voice, trusting Lazuli Meena.


	18. Chapter 17: Battle Armor: Part 6

This chapter is dedicated to JanuaryBaby192. Thank you for your kind comments!

-V-

Chapter 17: Battle Armor Part 6: War?

The doors from which they had entered burst open. Starshower pushed Little Flibble toward them. "Go! Go! Outside, hurry!"

Starshower skittered to a stop beside Captain Alta, who hadn't moved at her warning shout. "Captain Alta? Captain Alta!" He did not respond, so Starshower nudged him. Immediately he unfroze. Quickly assessing the falling debris around him, he asked what had happened, shook his head and bolted for the exit.

Starshower raced through the dark, steadily degenerating cave, trying desperately to keep up with Captain Alta. Her light flickered; she was too scared to keep it going constantly while trying to dodge falling rocks or debris on the ground.

Upon finally reaching safety away from the crumbling cave, Captain Alta stopped short and Starshower nearly ran into him. Peering around him, she saw the cause of his sudden halt: more ponies, covered in metal that did not match, had him penned in. Starshower recognized the long, narrow tubes that Alta's company had used upon Little Flibble when she first arrived on this planet. _Danger_. The newcomers obviously did not want Captain Alta or Starshower to move. Star gulped, Alta growled.

One of them stepped forward, sneering. "Well, if it isn't the mighty Captain Alta. I do believe you are our prisoner."

The new pony shot Captain Alta with something small that was not a bolt of energy and the latter slowly fell to the ground. _Was he dead? Forced into sleep?_ Starshower hoped the shot had induced sleep; she wouldn't be able to bear or understand it if one pony had actually taken another's life and she had seen it. Or if Little Flibble had seen it. _Little Flibble!_

Starshower's eyes frantically searched the forest, looking for the purple pony.

"What're you looking for, a way to escape? You ain't gonna go any where. Anyone in the Captain's company is considered a great prize too," the new pony snapped at Starshower.

Starshower momentarily gave up looking for Little Flibble, she must keep herself safe in order to find and protect him. Starshower tried to remember the incantation Wysteria had showed her for a spell much like Protection, but stronger, longer and even self-sustaining for a short period of time. She realized she had thought too long when she heard a small whoosh and felt a pin-prick of pain.

Black unconsciousness claimed her quickly.

-V-

Starshower realized she was no longer unconscious when her head began to pound, hard; but she couldn't see. She groaned and rolled away from the light that seemed to stream in through her eyelids. The light promptly followed her. Star wondered how that was possible, but rolled away from it again.

"Stop," Star pleaded silently.

"Oh honey, I know it seems like the light makes it worse, but it really doesn't," a kind, caring voice said.

'_Huh?'_ this captor sounded cheerful, something Star hadn't heard on this planet. _'What happened?'_ Hadn't some rude pony shot her? _'What about…?'_

Starshower jerked forward and bumped into something she couldn't see even though the light had been shining in her eyes. Upon making contact with the object the light became less intense and something made a clattering sound.

"Starshowa, hold still! Sleepiness go away if you hold still and see the light."

"Little Flibble?" Starshower asked, relieved. She stopped moving, holding her breath for the answer.

"Yes Star?"

It was really him!

"Are you alright? Did they hurt you?" Starshower tried to move toward the source of the purple pony's voice but bumped into something again because she still couldn't see.

"Hold still honey! There are quite a few things in the infirmary that you'll run into if you keep this up."

"Please listen Star. Terry told me that too and it made the darkness and achy go away faster," came Little Flibble's voice, innocent and reassuring.

Starshower sucked in a deep breath and held still. The light intensified and the Rainbow pony wondered if it would bore through her skull. After a few moments Starshower could begin to make out her surroundings. She could see Little Flibble and the object she had bumped into: a guard rail on the infirmary bed she was on. There were many other beds, a few curtained off, and several gray-colored boxes that were making a humming noise in the room.

There was another pony in the room, beside Starshower's bed. She was a bright, lively purple and had marble-green hair. On her hips was a brilliant sun with yellow rays spiraling out to her shoulders. Upon her head she wore a white cap with a strange blue symbol on it. Around her head wound a thing piece of metal, just above her eyes and behind her ears, and from it the intense light originated from a snake-like knob near her right eye.

Starshower's vision became normal and she blinked. She could see Little Flibble clearly; he was just fine. The purple pony nodded her head and the light turned off. She then moved away to rummaging around in a bin, banging metal together and making a lot of noise. She came back to Starshower and next to her left eye a round glass piece had been added to the contraption.

The purple pony flicked her head to the side and the glass piece swiveled to cover her eye. Starshower eyed her wearily when she raised her right leg and apparently did something, for the bright light returned to the knob. Starshower squeezed her eyes tight to shut it out.

"Honey, I need you to open your eyes. I have to examine them to make sure the sedative didn't harm you."

Starshower finally gave in and opened her eyes. She assumed this was the 'Terry' that Little Flibble had spoken of earlier. The light focused just to the side of the Starshower's eyes, one after the other. Terry peered at Starshower's eyes, searching for… something. After a moment of squinting at the black pony, she flicked off the light with another nod of her head. She then bend over and deposited the entire contraption on a table beside Starshower's bed. "I deem you to be in perfect health!" she exclaimed.

"Oh my, where are my manners? I am sorry dear. My name is Sol'ar'tary, and you are in my Med Center, Lethian Base One."

'_Lethian,' that sounds familiar. Didn't one of Captain Alta's companions mentioned that name? Lazuli Meena too?' _"Where's Captain Alta?"

"That poor monster is in the cell blocks. We'll question him later. Right now the Council wants to speak with you."

"Terry, if they're just gonna talk, can I go and play with the other kids you talked about earlier?" Little Flibble asked.

"Sure dear," she answered with a smile, bidding Starshower and Little Flibble to follow her out of the room. "The Council can be very boring sometimes… especially to a young one," she chuckled, then nodded down a hallway. "It's down there, do you remember the way to the play room?"

"Yeah! See you later Star!" The baby pony took off, hooves clanging as he trotted away.

"Kids," Terry laughed to herself. "Moonlightfair, Appletart, and Ember will have someone to play with now."

Starshower wasn't sure if she had heard correctly. But how could she not have? "Did you just say Moonlightfairy, Appletart and Ember?"

"Yes."

"Those are my friends! Moonie is Little Flibble's older sister! Are they ok? What about Buttercup and Amber? Are they here too?"

"They're all on level six, the children's level, and they're all fine," Terry answered.

Starshower breathed a huge sigh of relief. All of her friends were ok! They were all here in the building, all together!

They walked in silence until Terry led Starshower through tall, thick double doors. She announced, "Wise Council, I have brought Alta's captive. Her name is Starshower, and she is friends with our other guests who appeared a few days earlier."

The Council mumbled to themselves. About half a dozen elderly ponies in various shades of green and blue robes and two or three metal-covered younger ponies sat in a half-circle around a table. Terry left Starshower on a balcony several feet above the floor, but even with the half-circle table. Several more balconies ringed the room, going up two more levels. A handful of ponies; some guards, some lounging on couches, were littered about the room.

The oldest-looking councilpony raised his voice, calling for order within the room. Most of the ponies quieted. "So, young Starshower, you are an off-worlder, not from here?"

Starshower nodded. "That's correct."

"How long have you been on Cria, our planet?"

"A few days I think."

"How did you come to our planet? Sentries watch the planet's perimeter; it was agreed that no off-worlder aid either side in Cria's civil war. No ship has entered our system for a long time."

Starshower was confused by his question. "Please sir, I – I don't understand. A ship only sails on water. And – and what's a war?"

Amid the confused upheaval that Starshower's question caused, she heard a commotion. On one of the balconies across the room from her, Amber and Buttercup were trying to enter. Sol'ar'tary convinced the guard to let them in.

"'What's a war?'!" one of the younger, metal-clad councilponies scoffed.

"She is truly innocent—" an elder started.

"Or she's a very good actress and one of Alta's spies!" a younger councilpony cut in.

"I'm not a spy. I don't even know Captain Alta. I'm an – what'd you say? I'm an off-worlder, I'm not from here," Starshower repeated, trying to explain to the Council. "What _is_ a war? And this ship that doesn't sail on water?"

The councilpony that had called the room to order smiled kindly at her. "Oh, if only to go back to the days of peace. The young one who was with you and Alta at the Glass Cavern said he wasn't from here either. That a bright light sent you. But that is a puzzle for another time. Let me try to answer your questions first.

"A war, sadly, is when two or more large groups of creatures disagree on something to the core. Harsh words are said, weapons used against each other. Cities are destroyed, lives are lost, a planet loses its life. The Rodio Republic revolted against the Old Council and has made war with us for years."

'_For years? How could such a horrible thing happen for _years_?'_

"To answer your other question: your planet has obviously not discovered the wonders of space and the travel within it. A spaceship travels outside the reaches of a planet, going between one planet and another; such as you would exit a house, walk to another, and enter. Since you do not know what one is and our radar hasn't picked up presence of a ship entering our atmosphere, we will assume you came to Cria by other means."

Starshower blinked, trying to let all of this new information sink in.

After the hubbub of the room had quieted again, one of the elder council members asked, "Young one, I am quite sure Alta knew you were different. Did he bring you to his fortune teller, Cloakra? Did she say anything about you to him?"

"Yes," Starshower answered. She racked her brain, trying to remember what the masked female had said. "Something about rainbow hair, a black coat with stars and falling from the sky. That much sounded like it was meant to be about me. Next was something about their – your – world coming back from the grave, fulfilling prophesies, and seeing through some eye. And then something about a mountain and conquering and power and enemies cowering."

The twittering of voices went through the room again, a few snickers were heard.

"Um… what's an enemy? Does it have something to do with your war?"

"Oh it has _everything_ to do with _any_ war," one of the younger members sneered at her. "The Old Council and the Rodio Republic are each other's enemies."

"V'Cirian, the child knows nothing of war. Do not speak to her in such a manner," one of the elders rebuked the younger. V'Cirian rolled his eyes.

"You do fit the first part of Cloakra's prophecy: rainbow'd black, stars, fallen from the sky. Little Starshower, Alta believes that you have power, and that that power will bring suffering and defeat to the Tovians' – Alta's troops' – enemies. Suffering to us. That was why he brought you to the Glass Cavern. He also believed that you could use your power to awaken the mythical guardian of Cria, Lazuli Meena, and set her against us," the eldest tried to interpret Starshower's cloudy repetition of Cloakra's strange poem.

"But Lazuli isn't a myth, she did 'awaken.' She told me that I had to stop the war or your planet was doomed to die, and if they war did stop then your world would be – what'd she say – _reborn_."

The room erupted into mild chaos.

-V-

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Rad


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